The historical collaboration of the sacred soul classic “99 And ½ Won’t Do” between artists with legendary six-decade careers in American music with proceeds to support the Mid-South Food Bank in Memphis, TN.
Both Rush and the Blind Boys won GRAMMY Awards this year; the Blind Boys appeared on the Today Show in April, sat in recently with Tom Jones, and are set to receive an Americana Music Award Lifetime Achievement Award this fall. A video of Blind Boys of Alabama rehearsing went viral recently, with over eight million views (across platforms).
Also joining the recording are “one of the most accomplished American Folk Artists” (MOJO) Dom Flemons; and beloved folk-rock band the Dustbowl Revival. The artists and producers who performed on this new version have won a combined eleven GRAMMY Awards. The release celebrates the ten-year anniversary of DeLia’s 72 Music Management.
The song was co-produced by GRAMMY-winning producer Colin Linden (Bob Dylan, Keb’ Mo’, T-Bone Burnett, and others, and music director for ABC’s Nashville) and manager Jeff DeLia. The artists’ unique voices blend seamlessly together in this call-and-response arrangement with Bobby Rush as the call and the chorus of artists responding.
“99 And 1/2 Won’t Do” is a traditional song that has been recorded by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Mavis Staples with Ry Cooder, Steve Cropper, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Hezekiah Walker, Wilson Pickett, and Eddie Floyd.
