Bman's Blues Report

b. 22 February 1933, Royse City, Texas, USA. Rankin’s uncle was T-Bone Walker, who encouraged the youngster to play blues guitar and then took him on the road as a valet in the late 40s. He worked and recorded with Walker during the 50s, and was dubbed ‘T-Bone’ Walker Jnr. around 1955, and it was under this name that he recorded for the Midnite label in 1962. He has been less active on the music scene since the mid-60s but did surface to play at the T-Bone Walker Memorial Concert in Los Angeles, California, in May 1975, when Blues Unlimited reported that ‘he did a fantastic job on his uncle’s classics’. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

R.S. Rankin was born in Royce City, TX. on February 22, 1933. Growing up in the East Texas cotton fields, his mother would always talk about her brother Aaron and how he had made it big as a blues musician. One day in 1946, his famous uncle dropped by their farm to visit his sister and her family. Rankin recalled that he was driving a two-tone Buick and all of his coat pockets were filled with cash. Rankin talked T-Bone into buying him a guitar and went on the road with him as his personal valet. Uncle T-Bone, gave him guitar lessons, bought him a white tuxedo and put him his show with him. He even let him sit in on his 1957 sessions for Atlantic doing a triple-play showoff between the both of them and renowned jazz guitarist Barney Kessel. Rankin decided then that it was time to lead his own band, and he settled in Los Angeles. He recorded a session for Atlantic in 1959, but the recordings were not issued at the time, they later popped up on a 1972 LP compilation from the label. Somew...