Bland’s first hit single, “Farther Up the Road,” was released in 1957 and reached number one on the charts as well as number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other popular singles included “Cry Cry Cry,” “I Pity the Fool,” “Turn On Your Love Light,” “That’s the Way Love is,” and “Ain’t Nothing You Can Do.” After 1968, Bland suffered from depression and alcoholism, however he managed to quit drinking in 1971 and benefited highly from the acquisition of Duke Records by the ABC Records group. He was eventually signed by Malaco Records in 1985 and toured with B.B. King. Bland died of an “ongoing illness” on June 23, 2013 in Germantown, Tennessee. He released approximately 27 studio albums in the duration of his career, three live albums, one collaborative album, and seven compilations.