Bob Stroger defines Chicago blues electric bass playing. He has worked with all of the greats in the business including Otis Rush, Sunnyland Slim, Jimmy Rogers, Louis Myers, Snooky Pryor, Billy Boy Arnold, Bob Margolin, John Primer, Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith and so many more. He is also a fine singer. Born in Hayti, Missouri on December 27, 1930. He moved with his family to Chicago at age 16 and fell in with Blues! His great bass playing has been in demand since the 1970s. Please enjoy this photo gallery honoring the great Bob Stroger!
Bob Stroger in Gothenburg, Sweden. Photo by Erik Lindahl.
Bob Stroger and his lovely Maja Arnold. Selfie by Maja.
Bob Stroger photo by Giullote.
Bob Stroger, Sunnyland Slim, Steve Freund, Ben Sandmel. Photo by Anne Fishbein.
Bob Stroger, Sunnyland Slim, Steve Freund, Ben Sandmel. Photo by Anne Fishbein.
Bob Stroger with Fenton Robinson at 1815 Club (BBC filming, Jan. 28, 1976). This footage, and most of the rest they shot, was not used and was thrown away by the BBC film editor. Photo and information from Jim O’Neal.
Bob Stroger in 1977, Oslo, Norway. Photo Knut Reiersrud.
Louis Myers, Fred Below, Bob Stroger at Kingston Mines, Chicago in 1977. Photo by Jonas Donydenas, courtesy Illinois Slim.
Fred Below And Bob Stroger at the Kingston Mines, 1977. Photo by Jonas Donydenas.
Bob Stroger at Eddie C. Campbell “King of the Jungle” session (Clifton James on drums) June 13, 1977. Photo by Jim O’Neal.
Bob Stroger at Blues Estafette, November 15, 1980. Photo Martin Feldmann. Special thanks to the Real Blues Forum.
Bob Stroger on March 13, 1980 at Sinkkasten Nightclub in Frankfurt, Germany.
Photo Martin Feldmann. Special thanks to the Real Blues Forum.
Bob Stroger on bass and Jessie Green on drums in 1980. Photo by Erik Lindahl.
Bob Stroger in Gothenburg, Sweden with Bob Levis. Photo by Erik Lindahl.
Lacey Gibson, Bob Stroger, Otis Rush early 1980s at Bluesestafette, Utrecht, Holland. Photo by Andre Hobus.
Bob Stroger in the 1980s. Photo by Marty Kool.
Bob Stroger was part of the 1980 American Folk Blues Festival along with Sunnyland Slim, Eddie Taylor, Hubert Sumlin, Louisiana Red, Willie Mabon, Carey Bell, Odie Payne, Eunice Davis and Washboard Doc, Lucky & Flash. This is the group photo that appeared on the album.
Bob Stroger at a 1980 Big Leon Brooks recording session at Curtom Studios. Photo by Jim O’Neal.
Bob Stroger at a Big Leon Brooks recording session in 1980. Photo by Jim O’Neal.
Bob Stroger in Helsinki Finland, 1980. Photo by Pertti Ñurmi.
Bob Stroger in Helsinki Finland, 1980. Photo by Pertti Ñurmi.
Louis Myers and Bob Stroger at a Big Leon Brooks recording session, Curtom Studios, Chicago, 1980. Photo by Jim O’Neal.
Otis Rush and Bob Stroger just arriving in. Landvetter (Gothenburg) Airport on November 4 1980. Later that evening the band was booked to play Consert house in Gothenburg. Photo and information from Erik Lindahl.
American Folk Blues Festival ‘81. L-R: Odie Payne, John Cephas, Sunnyland Slim, Margie Evans, Phil Wiggins, Bob Stroger, Carey Bell, Lurrie Bell, Louisiana Red, Hubert Sumlin. Photo George Tanner.
Bob Stroger. Photo by Brigitte Charvolin.
Snooky Pryor, Jimmy Rogers, Pinetop Perkins, Ted Harvey, Bob Stroger. Photo by Cindy Light, 1988.
Bob Stroger, Ospel, Holland, 1991. Photo André Hobus.
Ted Harvey and Bob Stroger, 1991 Ospel, Netherlands. Photo Rien Wisse/Block Magazine Archives.
Bob Stroger, 1993 Chicago Blues Festival Tour, Antwerp, Belgium. Photo André Hobus.
Mississippi Heat with Bob Stroger, Allen Kirk, Deitra Farr, Billy Flynn, Pierre Lacocque, James Wheeler.
Mississippi Heat
Bob Stroger appeared as part of the Jimmy Rogers Band on Late Night with Conan O’Brien in 1994. Here is a screen capture from the YouTube video. Left to right is Piano Willie, Bob Stroger, Madison Slim, Ted Harvey, Jimmy Rogers, James D. Lane.
Snooky Pryor & The Mississippi Wrecking Crew. This is a recording project band that was put together for a beautiful album on the Electro-Fi label. Left to right are Pinetop Perkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Snooky Pryor, Mel Brown, and Bob Stroger. Photo Gary Collver, courtesy Andrew Galloway.
Homesick James, Snooky Pryor, Steve Freund, Eddie Shaw, Robert Covington, Bob Stroger. Photo by David Herwaldt.
Bob Stroger, Pinetop Perkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, 2001. Photo by Bob Margolin.
Bob Stroger at Blues Heaven Studio, Salina, Kansas, 2001.
Bob Stroger. Photo courtesy Bonny B. Bluesman.
Bob Stroger and Pinetop Perkins. Photo by Kathleen H.
Sam Lay, Bob Stroger, Jimmy D. Lane, Wild Child Butler in 2000. Photo Peter Damroth.
Homesick James, Willie Smith (drums), Bob Stroger at the 2001 Chicago Blues Festival. Photo by Gene Tomko.
Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Pinetop Perkins, Bob Stroger.
Photo by Susan Bacchieri.
Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Little Frank, Bob Stroger. Photo by Robert Pasenko. Special thanks to Pat Morgan and Frank Krakowski.
The Willie “Big Eyes” Smith Blues Band. Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Bob Stroger, Jimi Mayes, Little Frank Krakowski. Photo courtesy Patricia Morgan.
Bob Stroger, Dave Specter, Pinetop Perkins, Marcia Ball, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith. Photo courtesy Dave Specter.
Billy Flynn, James Wheeler, Deitra Farr, Bob Stroger, 2004. Photo by John Wenzel.
Bob Stroger and Henry Gray at the Rhythm Room in 2006. Photo by Dave Blake.
Bob Stroger at the Rhythm Room, 2006. Photo Dave Blake.
Bob Stroger, Jimmy Dawkins, Billy Flynn at the 2006 Poconos Blues Festival. Photo by Gene Tomko.
Two great bass players! Shorty Gilbert and Bob Stroger. Photo 2009, Des Moines, Iowa by Bob Margolin.
Calvin Jones and Bob Stroger in the backstage trailer at the 2009 King Biscuit Blues Festival. These two were great friends and Bob credits Calvin as one of his main influences on the bass. Photo by Bob Margolin.
Bob Stroger and Willie Big Eyes Smith making their way to the bandstand at Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch, 2009. Photo by Bob Margolin.
Pinetop Perkins, Willie Smith, Dave Katzman, and Bob Stroger on break at a 2010 recording session. Photo Jesse Lirola.
The very first Bobs Of The Blues gig in Helena, Arkansas at the 2010 King Biscuit Blues Festival. Bob Corritore, Bob Margolin, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Bob Stroger. Photo Robby Reeves.
A young Kingfish Ingram, Bob Corritore, and Bob Stroger at the 2011 Pinetop Perkins Homecoming in Clarksdale. Photo Shein Die.
Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Pinetop Perkins, Maja Arnold, Bob Stroger at the 2010 Hondarribia Blues Festival.
Photo 2010 by Pertti Nurmi.
Lurrie Bell and Bob Stroger at the 2011 Chicago Blues Festival. Photo by Gene Tomko.
Bob Stroger accepting his Blues Music Award for best bassist in 2011. Photo Dusty Blues.
Billy Branch, James Cotton, Bob Stroger, September 26, 2011. Photo by Blues Kathy.
Bob Stroger and Bob Corritore have been friends since 1975! This photo was taken at one of the Pinetop Homecoming shows at Hopson’s Plantation in Clarksdale. Photo copyright Shein Die.
Deitra Farr and Bob Stroger. Photo Eric Kriesant.
Bob Stroger and Bob Corritore at the front porch stage, 2012 Chicago Blues Festival. Photo by Dave Blake!
Bob Margolin and Bob Stroger at the 2012 Chicago Blues Festival. Photo by Dave Blake.
Bob Stroger and Bob Corritore at the 2012 Chicago Blues Festival. Photo Dave Blake.
At the 2012 Lucerne Blues Festival, Switzerland. L-R: Bob Corritore, Billy Flynn, Kenny Smith, Eddie C. Campbell, Bob Stroger, Barrelhouse Chuck.
Blues super-group at the 2012 Lucerne Blues Festival: Barrelhouse Chuck, Elmore James, Jr., Bob Corritore, Bob Stroger, Billy Flynn, John Primer. Photo by Art Tipaldi.
Bob Stroger, John Primer, Elmore James Jr. at the 2012 Lucerne Blues Festival, Switzerland.
Bob Stroger photo by Marilyn Stringer.
Bob Stroger and Maja Arnold. Photo by Roman Sobus.
Bob Stroger at the 2013 King Biscuit Blues Festival. Photo Lynn Orman Weiss.
Afternoon sound check at the 2013 Hondarribia Blues Fest, Spain. Photo by Bob Corritore.
Bob Corritore and Bob Stroger at the 2013 Hondarribia Blues Festival, Spain. Bob Stroger had just been awarded the Hondarribia Award and the Hondarribia Hat!
Chicago Blues Guide founder/editor Linda Cain and Bob Stroger.
Maja Arnold And Bob Stroger at the 2014 King Biscuit Blues Festival. Photo Maile Alday.
Maja Arnold and Bob Stroger in Argentina. Photo by Roger Rugilo.
Bob Stroger and Koko Taylor.
Eddie Taylor Jr, Henry Gray, Bob Corritore, Tail Dragger, Johnny Burgin, Illinois Slim, Bob Stroger, Brian Fahey at the Rhythm Room in 2015. Photo by Marilyn Stringer.
Photo closeup of Bob’s hand and bass by Dave Blake.
Bob Corritore, Amy Brat, Bob Margolin, Bob Stroger at the 2015 Chicago Blues Festival.
John Primer, Bob Stroger, Barrelhouse Chuck, Bob Margolin at the 2015 Chicago Blues Festival. Photo by Philip Verhaege.
Bob Stroger, Bob Corritore, Bob Margolin performing at the 2015 Chicago Blues Festival.
Udoh Essiet, Bob Stroger, Bob Margolin, Sherry Margolin, and Bob Corritore, November, 2016, Paris, France. Photo copyright Big Max Leo.
The Bobs Of The Blues have the honor of occupying the back cover of Marilyn Stringer’s book Blues In The 21st Century. You can buy Marilyn’s wonderful book on her website, MJStringerPhoto.com.
The Bob’s of the Blues 2016! Bob Corritore, Bob Stroger, Bob Margolin. Photo by Marilyn Stringer.
Bob Corritore, Bob Stroger, Popcorn Louden, Bob Margolin at the 2016 Pinetop Perkins Memorial Homecoming, Hopson’s Plantation, Clarksdale, Mississippi. Photo by Marilyn Stringer.
John Primer, Six String Andrew, Bob Stroger backstage at the Pinetop Perkins Foundation Crawfish Broil, Ground Zero Blues Club, Clarksdale, Mississippi. Photo Michael Sullivan.
Bob Stroger serenading the crowd at the Bay-Car Blues Festival in France, 2016. Bob Corritore took this photo from the stage!
Maja Arnold and Bob Stroger. Photo Marilyn Stringer.
Bob Stroger portrait by Jeff Fasano, Memphis 2018.
Painting by Brazilian artist Elenita Croda.
Bob Stroger and Elvin Bishop
Bob Corritore, Henry Gray, Bob Stroger accepting applause at the end of a set at the 2017 Chicago blues festival. Photo by Brigitte Charvolin.
Bob Stroger photo by André Schmidlin.
Bob Corritore, Bob Stroger, Billy Fynn at the 2017 Pinetop Perkins Crawfish Broil, Ground Zero Blues Club, Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Bob Margolin, Bob Stroger, Bob Corritore at Hobson’s Plantation, Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Billy Flynn, Bob Stroger, Kim Wilson, Billy Boy Arnold, 2017, at Blueberry Cafe, Clarksdale. Photo Maja Arnold.
At the 2017 recording session for the Willie Buck Way album at Joyride Studio. L-R: Billy Flynn, Jimi Mayes, Bob Stroger, Willie Buck, Thaddeus Krolicki, Patrick Powers. Photo David Waldman.
Bob Stroger with The Headhunters in 2018 at Caxias do sul in Brazil. Picture by Lorena Jastreb.
Only Bobs! Bob Stroger, Bob Margolin, Bobbie Burks, Bob Corritore, Bobby Rush at the 2018 King Biscuit Blues Festival.
Bob Stroger at the 2018 King Biscuit Blues Festival. Photo Ruth Spicer.
Bob Stroger with his Brazilian band, The Headcutters. Photo by Zé Carlos.
Bob Stroger with his Brazilian band, The Headcutters. Photo by Zé Carlos.
Adrianna Marie and Bob Stroger at the Rhythm Room in 2018. Photo by Marilyn Stringer.
Bob Stroger, Bob Corritore, Bob Margolin, Anson Funderburgh at the 2019 Pinetop homecoming, Clarksdale, Mississippi. Photo by D.A. Simms.
The Bobs Of The Blues at the 2019 Pinetop Homecoming, Hopson’s Plantation, Clarksdale, Mississippi. Photo by Carlene Johnson.
Backstage at the 2019 Calgary Blues Festival with (L-R):Bob Stroger, Mark Hummel, Joe Nosek, Bob Corritore, Billy Flynn, Oscar Wilson, Kenny Smith, R.W. Grigsby.
At Bob’s house in 2019, Quique Gomez, Bob Stroger, John Primer. Photo Lisa Primer.
Photo by Bob Corritore.
Top row: Ben Levin, Willie Buck, Bob Margolin, Wes Starr, Alabama Mike, Jimi Primetime Smith. Bottom row seated: Adrianna Marie, Bob Stroger, Diunna Greenleaf, Bob Corritore, LA Jones. Photo September 2021, Rhythm Room, Phoenix by Marilyn Stringer.
Bob Stroger’s home office! Now here is the office of a well traveled musician! Photo by Maja Arnold.
Bob Stroger at home in his office. Photo Gene Tomko.
Bob Stroger with students and fellow instructors at the Pinetop Perkins Foundation Youth Workshop, June 2022, Clarksdale, Mississippi. Bob Stroger is 91 years old at the time of this photo. He is in the front row with a blue T-shirt and blue jeans.
Bob Corritore - Official Website 