Legendary Blues musician, composer and singer Bobby Rush will perform at the Vicksburg Convention Center (VCC) in April as part of the Vicksburg Arts and Music Festival, but that didn’t stop him from dropping by the VCC early to talk music, Grammy wins, and why he loves the River City.

“I started working in Vicksburg in 1949, playing music as a kid,” Rush said. “I started recording in 1931, myself and the late Willie Dixon from this town. He was one of the reasons I went to Chicago in 1951, because of Willie Dixon, from right here. And my roots are from this area, even though I was born in Louisiana.”

In February, Rush snagged his third Grammy win – this time in the Best Traditional Blues Album category for “All My Love For You.”

“This is my third Grammy,” he said. “I’ve been nominated seven times, won three. On the Blues awards side, I’ve been up 41 times. I’ve won 19 of those.”

Rush said his recording career has spanned 73 years, but the 90-year-old living legend shows no signs of slowing down. And he says he is as passionate about his music now as he has ever been.

“Music hasn’t changed with the people that do the music,” he said of  the genre’s evolution over the past seven decades, adding the Blues is where it all begins.

“If you don’t like the Blues, you probably don’t like your mamma,” Rush joked. “The Blues is the roots of all music. Gospel and the Blues was the root of all of it.”

Vicksburg Convention Center Executive Director Erin Southard said the VCC is excited to have Rush scheduled to close out the festival Saturday, April 20.

“We are ecstatic to have the legendary Bobby Rush,” Southard said. “He’s going to close us out at the festival. The Chill and Compozitions will open for us Friday (April 19) evening and then all day Saturday we’ll have Alcorn State. Then we’re going to do a jam for Mark, in memory of Mark Doyle. The whole point of the festival is to feature not only our great musicians and artists, but also any cultural arts. We’re going to have different food vendors. And then we have arts and crafts vendors as well.”

Rush also expressed his excitement about coming back to Vicksburg for April’s festival.

“I’m glad to be a part of this two days,” he said. “I was born in Louisiana, but my roots are right here.”