I AIN'T STUDDIN' YA My American Blues Story

The ribald 87-year-old blues legend Bobby Rush reads the introduction to his thoughtful memoir, while Leon Nixon narrates the balance of the production. The result is an easy-to-hear and authentic-sounding account of how a gutsy 12-year-old Louisiana guitar player rose from poverty to develop a stage act in Black clubs on the so-called Chitlin Circuit and become a big-city name in blues and pop music. Though Rush's speaking voice and life are decidedly rough-hewn, he's a likable storyteller whose gift for narrative makes this a compelling audiobook. Nixon's performance is perfect for this type of author. His clear voice and diction don't get in the way of capturing the grit and honor in Rush's homespun experiences as a Black musician in mid-century America. T.W. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2021]