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Barbecue Bob ( September 11 , 1902 – October 21 , 1931 ), born '''Robert Hicks''', was an early American Country Blues musician. His nickname came from the fact that he was a cook in a barbecue restaurant. One of the two extant photographs of Bob show him playing his guitar while wearing a full length white apron and cook's hat. He was born in Walnut Grove , Georgia . He began playing the 6-string guitar but picked up the 12-string Guitar after moving to Atlanta in 1923-24. He became one of the prominent performers of the newly developed Atlanta Blues style. He worked at Tidwell's Barbecue in the Atlanta suburb of Buckhead. There he met Columbia Records talent scout Dan Hornsby, who decided to use Hicks's job as a gimmick, photographing him in chef's whites and hat and dubbing him "Barbecue Bob". He recorded his first side, "Barbecue Blues" in March 1927. The record quickly sold 15,000 copies and made him the best selling artist for Columbia up to that date. During his short career he recorded 68 78-rpm sides, recording as a solo artist and also as a member of The Georgia Cotton Pickers , that also included blues legends Curley Weaver and Buddy Moss . He made his last recordings in December 1930. "Barbecue Bob" Hicks died in Lithonia, Georgia of pneumonia brought on by influenza at the age of 29. His elder brother Charley also played blues and was recorded by Columbia under the name "Laughing" Charley Lincoln. However, he never received the same acclaim that his brother had from playing. REFERENCES Swinton, Paul. (2001). ''The Essential Barbecue Bob''. Audio CD ''Liner notes''. Classic Blues 200026. EXTERNAL LINKS
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