Bobby Bland's purr-to-a-scream vocals quickly made him an R&B star in an era when rougher-hewn blues masters such as Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf had fallen from the charts. Bland, a former valet for B.B. King, established himself with both up-tempo workouts ("Farther Up the Road," "I Pity the Fool") and devastatingly subtle ballad readings ("I'll Take Care of You," "Stormy Monday Blues"). Greatest Hits, Vol. One is a generous sampling of the discs that made him a steady seller throughout the '60s. A second CD chronicles his work in the '70s after Duke Records, his longtime label, was sold to ABC. --Rickey Wright