He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.
He took the last name (Bland) of his stepfather.
His singing blended Southern blues and soul. He was influenced by Nat 'King' Cole, often recording with lavish arrangements to accompany his smooth vocals.
He was a founding member of the Beale Streeters, a Memphis group that included B.B. King and Johnny Ace.
He had his first #1 hit on the R&B charts with "Further On Up the Road" in 1957. Many of his songs, especially "Further On Up the Road" and "I Pity the Fool", were recorded by rock artists, including David Bowie and Eric Clapton.