Little Milton bridged blues and Southern soul for 50 years without ever sounding like he was straddling a line. James Milton Campbell Jr. from Inverness, Mississippi was discovered by Ike Turner, signed to Sun Records, and then spent decades on the chitlin circuit making records that sat comfortably between B.B. King and Bobby Bland -- soulful enough for r&b radio, bluesy enough for the juke joint.

His biggest hit was The Blues Is Alright -- an anthem of resilience that became a standard on the Southern soul-blues circuit. Grits Ain't Groceries. If Walls Could Talk. He recorded for Chess, Stax, Malaco, and his own labels. His guitar playing was understated and perfectly complementary to his rich, warm baritone voice.

He was still touring and recording in the 2000s when a stroke and subsequent heart attack took him at 70. The Blues Is Alright outlasted him. It's become the closing number at blues festivals across the South -- the song you play when you want to remind everyone why they came.

Little Milton bridged blues and Southern soul for 50 years. The Blues Is Alright became an anthem. B.B. King's sound, Bobby Bland's soul -- his own voice.