Rush, Otis

Rush, Otis

(1934–  ) blues musician; born in Philadelphia, Miss. A guitarist and singer, he moved to Chicago in 1948 and began playing in local clubs in 1953. In 1956 his debut recording, "I Can't Quit You, Baby," was a major rhythm-and-blues hit, and over the next four years he produced a body of recorded work that is among the greatest in blues history. His playing became inconsistent and his touring schedule sporadic thereafter, but his strong influence on Eric Clapton and other blues-rock musicians helped him maintain a high-profile reputation as a bluesman.

The Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography, by John S. Bowman. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995. Reproduced with permission.