Two Steps From The Blues (+5 Bonus Tracks) [Limited Edition]

Released on 1 January 1961, Two Steps from the Blues marked a defining moment for Bobby Bland — and for modern blues itself. Blending earlier singles with newly recorded material cut in Chicago during late 1960 sessions, the album captured Bland at the height of his expressive powers, backed by a formidable, tightly rehearsed band under the guidance of arranger Joe Scott.

Recorded at Universal Recording Corporation in Chicago after Bland’s move north, the sessions brought together a rich horn section, driving rhythm players and standout guitar work from Wayne Bennett and Clarence Holloman. Scott’s arrangements gave the music a sweeping, almost big-band depth while preserving the grit of Southern blues. The result was a sound that felt both polished and deeply rooted — juke joint emotion elevated by gospel phrasing and soul sophistication.

The album produced two major hits: I Pity the Fool, which reached No.1 on the Billboard R&B chart, and Don’t Cry No More, which climbed to No.2. Other essential tracks such as “Cry, Cry, Cry,” “I’ve Been Wrong So Long” and the title cut showcase Bland’s extraordinary vocal control — a voice capable of moving from velvet smoothness to anguished intensity within a single phrase.

Critics and historians have long recognised the album’s significance. It has been ranked among the greatest albums of all time, inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, and praised as a turning point in electric blues — a moment when gospel fervour, Southern soul and urban blues fused into a seamless whole.

More than six decades on, Two Steps from the Blues still feels timeless. No note is wasted, no emotion overstated. It remains one of the great cornerstone records of soul-blues — a masterclass in arrangement, delivery and emotional truth.