Bob Corritore

Biography

Corritore was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States. At the age of 12, he was first inspired after hearing the radio playing a Muddy Waters track. Self-taught on the harmonica, Corritore collected blues albums and later attended performances in blues clubs. He garnered playing tips and support from a number of those he saw perform, including Louis Myers, Little Mack Simmons, Carey Bell, Big Walter Horton, Big John Wrencher and Junior Wells. Gaining experience in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Corritore worked in local clubs alongside Willie Buck, Dave Myers, Tail Dragger Jones, Johnny "Big Moose" Walker, and Eddie Taylor. This led to Corritore doing record production work for Big Leon Brooks and Little Willie Anderson.

In 1981, Corritore relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, where he teamed up with Louisiana Red for twelve months before the latter moved on to Germany to live and work. Years later they worked together again when Corritore produced Louisiana Red's Sittin' Here Wonderin' (1995) (Earwig Music). Throughout the 1980s, Corritore continued to work in and around Phoenix and played in one of Janiva Magness' early backing bands. He also undertook radio work with KJZZ (FM), commencing a still ongoing weekly presenting stint on his program called "Those Lowdown Blues". In the early 1990s, Corritore expanded his musical outlook by opening his own concert club in Phoenix, named the Rhythm Room. With his own house band, the Rhythm Room All-Stars, he backed a number of high-profile blues musicians, both in the club and at recording sessions. The long list of those he played alongside at that time included Bo Diddley, Pinetop Perkins, Ike Turner, Nappy Brown and Eddy Clearwater. In 1997, Corritore was inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame.

Corritore's first recorded work was released in 1999 on the HighTone label. All-Star Blues Sessions featured an array of well known and more obscure blues musicians, with Corritore supplying his harmonica work on all sixteen tracks. Kim Wilson's Smokin' Joint (2001) was co-produced by Corritore, and European tours and festival appearances followed. The Mayor of Phoenix proclaimed September 29, 2007 as “Bob Corritore Day”, and Corritore received the 'Keeping The Blues Alive Award' from the Blues Foundation, whilst in the same year his joint album with Dave Riley, entitled Travelin' The Dirt Road, was nominated for a Blues Music Award.

Corritore's next release in 2010, Harmonica Blues, was a compilation album, made from 15 tracks he had recorded with a variety of blues musicians between 1989 and 2009. In 2011, it was granted a Blues Music Award in the Historical Album of the Year category. In 2012, Corritore was awarded a Living Blues award for Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica). In 2013, Corritore issued two collaborative albums with John Primer and Dave Riley respectively. Corritore's Taboo : Blues Harmonica Instrumentals was released in 2014 by Delta Groove. An all instrumental affair, it was a rare solo album for Corritore, although it featured guest artists such as Jimmie Vaughan and Junior Watson. Charlie Musselwhite commented that "Not many people can do an all instrumental harp CD and keep it interesting all the way through. You’ve got a dandy CD here. A real treat." In 2014, Corritore was also awarded a Blues411 Jimi Award for Best Harpist. In 2015, Delta Groove released Blues Won't Let Me Take My Rest Vol 1, a collection of songs recorded over the last 19 years with Corritore and frequent collaborator Henry Gray. This CD earned a BMA nomination in the Historical Album category. In 2016, Corritore collaborated with the young Big Jon Atkinson for the CD House Party At Big Jon's on Delta Groove which gained attention for both performance and for recording on all vintage equipment.

He is the editor and main writer of the Bob Corritore Blues Newsletter, and an official endorser of Hohner harmonicas.