Bobby Rush: Exploring the Journey of a Blues Musician and ‘Sinners’ Performer in the Documentary ‘King of the Chitlin’ Circuit’
EXCLUSIVE: Grammy-winning blues musician Bobby Rush, noted for his recent work in the Oscar-winning film Sinners, will be featured in a new documentary titled King of the Chitlin’ Circuit.
At 92 years old, Rush contributed harmonica parts for the character of Delta Slim in Sinners and took part in the film’s live performance during Oscar night.
Scheduled to air on Mississippi Public Broadcasting in August, the documentary chronicles Rush’s seven-decade career and personal life. Directed by Al Warren and produced by Taiwo Gaynor, the film was shot over two years and aims to depict the highs and lows of a bluesman’s life on the road, capturing everything from performances to late-night reflections and quiet moments in between.
A Blue Hall of Fame inductee with three Grammy wins, Rush began his career in the 1950s. Raised in 1930s Louisiana on a cotton farm without electricity or indoor plumbing, his musical style blends Mississippi Delta blues, funk, and southern soul. Over the years, he has shared the stage with artists like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, James Brown, and B.B. King.
Rush has been featured in several notable documentaries, including Martin Scorsese’s The Blues, the 2014 film Take Me to the River, and Netflix’s Dolemite Is My Name. His recent collaboration with Ryan Coogler and Delroy Lindo in Sinners included the song "Juke," a duet with Miles Caton’s character Sammie.
"I wish I’d had the chance to do something like this when I was a young man, but it’s never too late to tell your story and express how you feel," Rush expressed. "This film captures things about me that I might never have shared. My hope is that this becomes one of the greatest things that’s ever happened not just to me, but to any Black man in my position— and really, to anyone, Black or white, from Mississippi to Maine, who wants to tell their story."
Director Al Warren reflected, “I grew up in Jackson, Mississippi where Bobby Rush moved through the air like weather. I didn’t know his history yet, but I knew his face from the newspaper, his name from billboards. Later, I decided I wanted to follow Bobby and portray him as he is: an otherworldly talent, a world traveler, an artist forever in motion. The film is a snapshot of his life and the spirit that keeps Bobby Rush in motion and refuses to dim.”
Producer Taiwo Gaynor added, “One of the most impactful things Bobby shared with me during his first interview for the film was when asked, ‘what is the most important thing in life,’ Bobby took a few moments and said, ‘the most important thing in my life is to still have my memory. Not money or status, but memories,’ because he knew, who you are is tied to your memories and the stories that live there.”
Rush is represented by 72 Music Management and the Kurland Agency.
