♪ Have you ever been mistreated ♪ - [Female Voiceover] The Salt and Pepper Roots Music Celebration presents two time Grammy winner, Bobby Rush.

- I've been recording this year for 70 years.

♪ Have you ever been mistreated ♪ I have 397 records.

♪ Should be working, but I'm home in bed ♪ ♪ Thinking about you ♪ ♪ Swing low ♪ ♪ Sweet chariot ♪ - [Female Voiceover] With special guests, Travis Wammack.

♪ Meet a lot of women ♪ - [Female Voiceover] DeiDra Ruff.

♪ Meet me with your black drawers on ♪ - [Female Voiceover] And John Bull.

The Salt and Pepper Roots Music Celebration, recorded live in Florence, Alabama at the University of North Alabama.

This program is made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on The Arts and the National Endowment for The Arts, a federal agency.

Additional funding provided by the Alabama Folk Life Association.

(blues music) - Tell me when you got what you need.

- [Male Voice] Yeah, no, that's good with me.

- Oh, okay.

(crowd cheering) Let me ask y'all a question, can you hear me like this?

- [Male Voice] Yeah.

- All right, then.

(blues music) - Skylar give them one more.

(blues music) (audience cheering) (audience clapping) - My husband took me in the studio, in that same year, 2007 and said, "It is time for you to have your own CD."

So I'm really grateful for the opportunity to do this song.

This is my song.

Well, it's a remake song, but I DieDrarized it.

It's called, "Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On" (blues music) ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Meet me with your black drawers on ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Meet me with your black drawers on ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Meet me with your black drawers on ♪ ♪ When I woke up this morning, baby ♪ ♪ Had to call you on the telephone ♪ ♪ When I got up this morning, sugar ♪ ♪ I couldn't wait to talk to you on the telephone ♪ ♪ Had to tell you, darling ♪ ♪ To meet me with your black drawers on ♪ ♪ Let me say it again ♪ ♪ When I got up this morning, sugar ♪ ♪ Had to call you on the telephone ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ When I got up this morning, sugar ♪ ♪ I couldn't wait to talk to you on the telephone ♪ ♪ Had to tell you, darling ♪ ♪ To meet me with your black draws on ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Meet me with your black drawers on ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Meet me with your black drawers on ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Meet me with your black drawers on ♪ ♪ Listen to this.

♪ ♪ You don't have to worrying about me leaving ♪ ♪ I'll always be here ♪ ♪ You don't have to worry about me leaving ♪ ♪ I'll always be here ♪ ♪ 'Cause when I'm thinking about the way you love me ♪ ♪ My eyes fill with tears ♪ ♪ Let me say it again ♪ ♪ No, no, you don't have to worry about me leaving ♪ ♪ I'll always be here ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ I ain't going nowhere ♪ ♪ I'll always be here ♪ ♪ 'Cause when I think about the way you love me ♪ ♪ My eyes fill with tear ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Meet me with your black drawers on ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Meet me with your black drawers on ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Meet me with your black drawers on ♪ Play the blues for them, baby.

(crowd cheering) (blues music) ♪ Rock me, baby ♪ ♪ Rock me all night long ♪ ♪ Rock me baby ♪ ♪ Rock me all night long ♪ ♪ You can rock me baby ♪ ♪ Like my back ain't there no more ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Meet me with your black drawers on ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Meet me with your black drawers on ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Meet me with your black drawers on ♪ - This is a true story.

I had the river boat, it's there in Montgomery, Alabama, where I'm from right now.

I had to bring it 1400 miles by water from Savannah, Georgia to Montgomery.

And the important part of the trip is going across the Gulf of Mexico.

'Cause they call it a river boat for a reason.

It's supposed to stay in the river.

(audience clapping) And I'm a river boat captain and I was supposed to stay in the river as well.

But there we were in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico in the middle of the night, we broke down one engine at a time.

So it got real dark and got real quiet.

And so we go down in the belly of the boat, the hole, and we start messing around with the engines and we realize that we are not getting fuel to the engines.

So we run a garden hose to one engine.

Now we got no lights, but we got one engine up and running.

But by now, well, the moon had went behind the clouds and the wind was picking up.

We lost our little window of good weather.

So now we had five foot seas, which happens a lot in the Gulf.

But as I was saying, we're in the riverboat.

So we started getting side to side, rocking back and forth.

And I'm thinking, each time it's just gonna rock us right on over.

And then when we got facing the wind, the waves would come up over the bowl and smash into the front doors of the boat.

Kind of cave them in a little bit and run through the cracks and run all through the carpet and down into the hole.

Now there's an nautical term for that, it's called sinking.

(audience laughing) ♪ My ship is sinking ♪ ♪ To the bottom of a cold darkened sea ♪ ♪ My ship is sinking ♪ ♪ To the bottom of a cold darken sea ♪ ♪ You stay on board my ship and ♪ ♪ I'll pull you down with me ♪ ♪ Don't worry, baby ♪ ♪ Another ship gonna come along ♪ ♪ Don't worry, baby ♪ ♪ Another ship gonna come along ♪ ♪ He'll pull you on board his ship, baby ♪ ♪ You look back ♪ ♪ And I'll be gone ♪ (blues music) ♪ Go on now, baby ♪ ♪ Even the rats know when to leave the sinking ship ♪ ♪ Go on now baby, ♪ ♪ Even rats know when to leave a sinking ship ♪ ♪ When we left port that Sunday morning, ♪ ♪ I didn't know it would turn out like this ♪ (blues music) ♪ Go on now, baby ♪ ♪ Even the rats know when to leave a sinking ship ♪ ♪ Go on now, baby ♪ ♪ Even rats know when to leave a sinking ship ♪ ♪ When we left port that Sunday morning, ♪ ♪ I didn't know it would turn out like this ♪ (blues music) (audience cheering) Skylar Softly and I'm John Bull y'all.

Thank you very much.

- So my husband here this guy right here, he played with Bobby Rush for about 20 years.

And I used to go out on the road with those guys and I loved it and then my first time seeing Bobby Rush play was in Brunswick, Georgia.

I was living in Jacksonville and he called me, said, "Hey, could you meet us?

We gonna be in Georgia.

How far is that from you?"

And I was like, "Oh man, Brunswick, it's only 45 minutes away."

So I drove up there to see those guys play.

I had never seen anything like that before.

Have anybody seen a Bobby Rush show?

Man, man.

I thought, oh my God, you know?

I was this bougie corporate America person at the time and I saw it and I was like, "Oh, That's my blues, daddy."

He taught me everything I know about the blues.

(audience cheering) (blues music) ♪ Your mistress ♪ ♪ Your mistress ♪ ♪ She ain't no secret no more ♪ ♪ Your mistress ♪ Yeah, that old little ugly thing you've been cheating with.

♪ She ain't no secret no more ♪ ♪ Followed you the other night ♪ ♪ You said you'd be right back ♪ ♪ You didn't even notice me ♪ ♪ I was right on you're track ♪ ♪ You know I saw you when you kissed her hello ♪ ♪ And you pulled her in your arms ♪ ♪ I knew you up to something ♪ ♪ 'Cause I went up to you job ♪ ♪ Your mistress ♪ ♪ Your mistress ♪ ♪ She ain't no secret no more ♪ ♪ Your mistress ♪ Yeah, that old little nappy headed thing you been cheating with.

♪ She ain't no secret no secret no more ♪ ♪ Listen ♪ ♪ I'm a little shocked that you ♪ ♪ Would cheat so close to home ♪ ♪ I knew I've been good to you ♪ ♪ 'Cause I never even checked your phone ♪ But guess what?

♪ I know where she live ♪ ♪ Across from the corner store ♪ ♪ Now you can get your bags, baby ♪ ♪ 'Cause I don't want you no more ♪ ♪ Talking about your mistress ♪ ♪ Your mistress ♪ ♪ She ain't no secret no more ♪ ♪ Your mistress ♪ Yeah, that old little ugly thing you been cheating with.

♪ She ain't no secret no more ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ (blues music) (audience cheering) - Testing one, two.

Hello, one, two.

One, two, three.

Microphone test one, two.

(audience cheering) ♪ If I don't lose these blues ♪ ♪ I'm gonna hang up my rock and roll shoes ♪ ♪ If I don't lose these blues ♪ ♪ I'm gonna hang up my rock and roll shoes ♪ ♪ Because that woman I love, ♪ ♪ Lord, she dos what she wants to do ♪ (blues music) Can you clap your hands?

(blues music) ♪ I was born in the country ♪ ♪ I was raised on rock and roll ♪ ♪ I was born in Mississippi ♪ ♪ Cut my teeth on rock and roll ♪ ♪ Way that tune jumped on in got a toe hold on my soul ♪ ♪ Well that woman I love ♪ ♪ Lord she keeps on putting me down ♪ ♪ Yeah, that woman I love ♪ ♪ Lord, she keeps on putting me down ♪ ♪ She keeps on swinging but ♪ ♪ She gonna start loosing ground ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ (blues music) ♪ She like that big tall circus ♪ ♪ When it comes to town ♪ ♪ She like that big tall circus ♪ ♪ Lord, she make me feel like a clown ♪ ♪ But that there's no doubt about it ♪ ♪ She's the best ride in this town ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ If I don't lose these blues ♪ ♪ I'm gonna hang up my rock and roll shoes ♪ ♪ If I don't lose these blues ♪ ♪ I'm gonna hang up my rock and roll shoes ♪ ♪ Because that woman I love ♪ ♪ No, she dos what she wants to do ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ (audience cheering) (blues music) ♪ If I don't lose these blues ♪ ♪ I'm gonna hang up my rock and roll shoes ♪ (blues music) (audience cheering) Thank you.

(blues music) ♪ Been on the road ♪ ♪ For a long time ♪ ♪ Meet a lot of women ♪ ♪ But I leave them behind ♪ ♪ I wanna go back ♪ ♪ To the land I know ♪ ♪ Magnolia smell sweet ♪ ♪ And white cotton grows ♪ ♪ Take me on down ♪ ♪ Take me back to the country ♪ ♪ Why don't you take me on home ♪ ♪ To Greenwood Mississippi ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah ♪ ♪ Now old papa John ♪ ♪ You know it's down the road, ♪ ♪ He works in the fields ♪ ♪ Carrying a heavy load ♪ ♪ Said don't worry ♪ ♪ About thing ♪ ♪ Sweat rolling down his face ♪ ♪ Ain't feeling no pain ♪ ♪ Take me on down ♪ ♪ Take me back to the country ♪ ♪ Mama take me home ♪ ♪ To Greenwood Mississippi ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ (blues music) ♪ Betty James Spear ♪ ♪ Says she'll wait for me ♪ ♪ Lord I cost to her ♪ ♪ A lot of misery ♪ ♪ I left her crying ♪ ♪ I didn't wanna go ♪ ♪ They got me searching for something ♪ ♪ Had long ago ♪ ♪ Oh, take me on down ♪ ♪ Take me back to the country ♪ ♪ Mama take me back home ♪ ♪ To Greenwood Mississippi ♪ ♪ Yeah, take me on down ♪ ♪ Take me back to the country ♪ ♪ You got to take me on home ♪ ♪ To Greenwood Mississippi ♪ (blues music) (audience cheering) You know, I was born in Mississippi, moved to Memphis, my parents moved to Memphis when I was about four or five years old and I grew up in Memphis and 16 years old, I had a hit instrumental called scratchy and I was writing songs and I had written this song, kind of a slow, soulful thing.

And I had Otis Redding in mind.

So I took it over to Stack studio and Otis was recording and I let him hear the song and he loved it.

So he said, "Yeah, we gonna cut it tomorrow."

So I went back the next day and they had dropped my song.

(audience cheering) ♪ I wanna tell everybody ♪ ♪ About the woman I love ♪ ♪ She's everything that I got ♪ ♪ Just thank the Good Lord above ♪ ♪ Never makes me sad ♪ ♪ Always keep me glad ♪ ♪ Yeah and that's to why ♪ ♪ Oh, that's why ♪ ♪ I wanna tell you about my girl ♪ ♪ Sometime when I'm worried ♪ ♪ Can't seem to go on ♪ ♪ She build me up ♪ ♪ Just like a king on a throne ♪ ♪ Little kisses are so warm ♪ ♪ Like a sun in the sky ♪ ♪ Yeah and that's why ♪ ♪ Oh that's why ♪ ♪ I want to tell you about my girl ♪ ♪ Early in the morning ♪ ♪ Late at night ♪ ♪ She's right there when I need her ♪ ♪ Holding me so tight ♪ ♪ Oh, if I lost her ♪ ♪ I know I would surely, surely die ♪ ♪ She might be worth living ♪ ♪ And I'm telling you why ♪ ♪ So listen all you good men ♪ ♪ Oh yes ♪ ♪ Listen to what I got to say ♪ ♪ If you got a good woman ♪ ♪ Treat right every day ♪ ♪ Little kisses are so warm ♪ ♪ Like the sun and in the sky ♪ ♪ Yeah and that's why ♪ ♪ Oh that's why ♪ ♪ I wanna tell you about my girl ♪ ♪ Yeah, that's why ♪ ♪ I wanna tell you about my girl ♪ ♪ Yeah, she's so fine ♪ ♪ Her little kisses are so kind ♪ ♪ Said I love the girl ♪ ♪ Oh yes, I love my girl ♪ Here we go ♪ I just wanna tell you about ♪ ♪ Tell you about ♪ ♪ Tell you about ♪ ♪ Tell you about my girl ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ I just wanna tell you about ♪ ♪ Tell you about ♪ ♪ Tell you about ♪ ♪ Tell you about ♪ ♪ Tell you about my girl ♪ ♪ Yeah, I love the girl ♪ ♪ I just wanna tell you about ♪ ♪ Tell you about ♪ ♪ Tell you about ♪ ♪ Tell you about my girl ♪ (audience cheering) Thank you.

(audience cheering) (blues music) ♪ Sitting here playing ♪ ♪ On this old bottleneck guitar ♪ ♪ I've been sitting here playing ♪ ♪ On this old bottleneck guitar ♪ ♪ Got me kind of under whiskey ♪ ♪ I'm gonna knock the bottom ♪ ♪ Out that old mason fruit jar ♪ ♪ Blues done hit me ♪ ♪ Send my baby, Lord she left town ♪ ♪ Blue done hit me ♪ ♪ Yeah, send my baby, Lord she left town ♪ ♪ I've been looking certain everywhere ♪ ♪ That woman, oh that woman ♪ ♪ Lord, she keep me down ♪ Play the blues (blues music) ♪ Oh crud I can't stay ♪ ♪ Girl I got to slide into your love ♪ ♪ Oh Lordie ♪ ♪ Oh crud I can't stay ♪ ♪ Yeah, I got to slide right into your love ♪ ♪ Nobody baby ♪ ♪ Ain't gonna play none other ♪ ♪ None other but ♪ ♪ I got the blues ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ (blues music) ♪ Old bottleneck blues ♪ (audience cheering) - When I got to Chicago, Jimmy Reed would just say.

(blues music) ♪ Oh baby ♪ ♪ You don't have to go ♪ ♪ Oh baby, ♪ ♪ Baby you don't have to go ♪ ♪ I'm going pack up, darling ♪ ♪ Down the road I go ♪ Now the reason I played that to you is because, it's the black guys that were playing that kind of blues, and I was one of them.

Then the Beatles came along, stole it from them.

Y'all didn't know that, did you?

Jimmy Reed would say, (blues music) then the Beatles came along stole it and turned it upside down now it's like (blues music) ♪ Come together ♪ (audience cheering) (laughing) Y'all didn't know that, did you?

That's what I got to teach you tonight.

How the blues they stole from the black guys.

(audience cheering) (blues music) ♪ Did y'all hear about the burning ♪ ♪ Happened way down in Mississippi town ♪ ♪ Did you hear about the burning ♪ ♪ Happened way down in Mississippi town ♪ ♪ They were decorating a nightclub one night ♪ ♪ And they burnt the whole dog on town down ♪ ♪ Muddy Water was there ♪ ♪ Johnny Hook was there too ♪ ♪ BB King was there ♪ ♪ Oh Lord, what about, what about me and you ♪ ♪ They were decorating a night club one night ♪ ♪ Tell me they burnt the whole dog on town down ♪ ♪ Coco Taylor was there ♪ ♪ Jimmy Reed played there too ♪ ♪ Diana Washington played there ♪ ♪ Oh Lord, what about, what about me and you ♪ ♪ They were decorating a nightclub one night y'all ♪ ♪ And they burnt the whole dog on town down ♪ (audience cheering) (blues music) ♪ Have you ever been mistreated ♪ ♪ By someone you shown nuff love ♪ ♪ Have you ever been mistreated ♪ ♪ By someone you shown nuff love ♪ ♪ Out of all the men my woman could have left me for ♪ ♪ She left me for the garbage man ♪ ♪ No matter how bad she treated me ♪ ♪ Can't get here out of my mind ♪ ♪ Oh, no matter how bad she treated me ♪ ♪ Still can't get her out of my mind ♪ ♪ Every time I see a garbage can ♪ ♪ I think about her and the garbage man all the time ♪ ♪ If I ever get my woman to come back home ♪ ♪ I'm gonna buy myself a garbage truck ♪ ♪ If I ever get my woman to come back ♪ ♪ I'm gonna buy myself a garbage truck ♪ ♪ And when my garbage can gets full ♪ ♪ I'm gonna take it and dump that stuff way out in the woods ♪ That's the blues.

(audience cheering) (blues music) ♪ Daddy told me on his dying bed ♪ ♪ Give up your heart but don't lose your head ♪ ♪ You came along, what did I do?

♪ ♪ Lost my heart and my head too ♪ ♪ Lord have mercy ♪ ♪ Little girl, little girl you sure can cook ♪ ♪ Little girl, little girl I like the way you look ♪ ♪ When you cook that chicken save me the head ♪ ♪ Should be working, but I'm home in bed ♪ ♪ Thinking about you ♪ ♪ Dream about you ♪ ♪ Love that girl ♪ ♪ I love them chicken heads too ♪ ♪ Without your love girl I ♪ ♪ Just can't go on ♪ ♪ Feeling I have for you woman is much too strong ♪ ♪ Let me in, let me in, let me in, let me ease on in ♪ ♪ Said my daddy told me, said Bobby Rush ♪ ♪ When you grow up please be a good man ♪ ♪ See my daddy would tell me the same old thing ♪ ♪ I don't care what my daddy told me ♪ ♪ Y'all don't care what my daddy said ♪ ♪ I'm 21 years old, I bet I'm gonna ♪ ♪ Bite down me some chicken head ♪ ♪ I'm the chicken head man y'all ♪ ♪ Without your love girl ♪ ♪ Just can't go on ♪ ♪ Feeling I have for you is much too strong ♪ ♪ Let me in, let me in, let me in, let me ease on in ♪ Later on that same year I recorded another record, went like this ♪ Chicken in the car ♪ ♪ And the car won't go ♪ ♪ That's the way you spell ♪ ♪ Chicago ♪ ♪ A knife and a fork ♪ ♪ And a plate of greens ♪ ♪ That's the way you spell ♪ ♪ New Orleans ♪ ♪ See the girl over there ♪ ♪ With the white dress on ♪ ♪ Cut her loose fellas ♪ ♪ Let her take Bobby Rush on ♪ ♪ 'Cause me and that woman ♪ ♪ Go hand in hand ♪ ♪ She's a bow legged woman ♪ ♪ And I'm a knock kneed man ♪ I got to say that again ♪ Chicken in the car ♪ ♪ And the car won't go ♪ ♪ That's the way you spell ♪ ♪ Chicago ♪ ♪ Knife and a fork ♪ ♪ And a good plate of green ♪ ♪ That's the way you spell ♪ ♪ New Orleans ♪ ♪ I said it, girl siting over there ♪ ♪ With the white dress on ♪ ♪ Cut her lose husband ♪ ♪ Let her turn me on ♪ ♪ 'Cause me and that woman ♪ ♪ Go hand in hand ♪ ♪ She's a bow legged woman ♪ ♪ And I'm a knocked kneed man ♪ ♪ Now when you put us together ♪ ♪ We spell O, X, ox, ♪ (laughing) (blues music) (crowd cheering) ♪ My baby left me last night ♪ ♪ Oh, the woman she don't feed me right ♪ ♪ I need some time ♪ ♪ Got to find ♪ ♪ Way to get that woman out of my mind ♪ ♪ She left me ♪ ♪ Get it right ♪ ♪ Didn't even tell me ♪ ♪ Goodbye ♪ ♪ I need some time ♪ ♪ Got to find ♪ ♪ Way to get that woman out of my mind ♪ ♪ I need some time ♪ ♪ Got to find ♪ ♪ That's why I'm drinking all this ♪ ♪ Whiskey wine ♪ ♪ I need some time ♪ ♪ Got to find ♪ ♪ Way to get that woman out of my mind ♪ ♪ My baby left me ♪ ♪ You didn't have to go, ♪ ♪ Told me she didn't love me ♪ ♪ No more ♪ ♪ I need some time ♪ ♪ Got to find ♪ ♪ Way to get this woman out of my mind ♪ (blues music) (audience cheering) ♪ Swing low ♪ ♪ Sweet chariot ♪ ♪ Come to carry me home ♪ ♪ Swing low ♪ ♪ Sweet chariot ♪ ♪ Ah, come and carry me home ♪ ♪ Swing low ♪ (blues music) ♪ If I had my way ♪ ♪ I would tear this old building down ♪ ♪ If I had my way ♪ ♪ Oh Lord ♪ ♪ I would sure tear this old building down, yeah ♪ ♪ And I would move ♪ ♪ I would move to the other side of town ♪ ♪ If I could ♪ ♪ I surely would ♪ ♪ If I could, Lord ♪ ♪ I surely would ♪ ♪ You know I would stand on the rock ♪ ♪ Stand on the rock where Moses stood ♪ (blues music) ♪ Sometimes wonder ♪ ♪ What gonna happen to me when I get too old ♪ ♪ Sometimes I wonder ♪ ♪ What gonna happen to Bobby Rush when he get too old ♪ ♪ Will you take me in your house ♪ ♪ Oh Lord would you throw me out doors ♪ ♪ How long ♪ ♪ Somebody tell me how long, how long ♪ ♪ How long ♪ ♪ Somebody tell me how long, how long ♪ ♪ If you confused ♪ ♪ Talking about my 40 acres and my mule ♪ ♪ Granddaddy died waiting ♪ ♪ Grand mama died waiting too ♪ ♪ Martin Luther king died waiting ♪ ♪ Tell me, tell me what about me and you ♪ ♪ You may be confused ♪ ♪ All I'm talking about my 40 acres and my mule ♪ ♪ How long ♪ ♪ They just don't treat me right ♪ ♪ How long, how long ♪ ♪ Oh Lord, they just won't treat me right ♪ ♪ Is it because I sing the blues ♪ ♪ Or is it because I'm black ♪ Thank y'all so much.

(audience cheering) - [Female Voiceover] This program is made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on The Arts and the National Endowment for The Arts, a federal agency.

Additional funding provided by the Alabama Folk Fife Association.

(blues music)