My friend Robert “Bumble Bee Bob” Novak died this week. “Bee,” as he was known to friends and fans alike, was a bluesman to the core. As a musician, on guitar, harp and vocals, he played with all the greats — B.B & Freddie King, Sunnyland Slim and the great Muddy Waters.
He told me once that somewhere he had a cache of cassette tapes, including some where he would coax Muddy into playing by leading him on. He’d play a lick and say, “So, Muddy, is this how it goes?” and Muddy would say, “No, Bee, it goes like this.” And they’d be off and running. I’d urge him to find that treasure trove, but he’d just shrug. They were just a chip in his memory bank.
But music was only one of the ways in which Bee expressed his life as a bluesman. He was a consummate visual artist as well. His vibrant acrylic on canvas blues “soap operas” with long, convoluted “hipster” titles graced the walls of high-end art galleries and living room walls (including mine) around the world. In fact, his poster for the 1989 Chicago Blues Festival, a framed copy of which hangs on my store wall, remains the bestselling poster in the 34-year history of BluesFest.
My memories of “Bee” were of a guy who was always there when I needed him. He played free at one of my anniversary sales. With his band Bumble Bee Bob & the Stingers, he rocked my May Madness stages for far less than his worth whenever I asked. In the mid-1980s, I told him I would love one of his paintings for my newly decorated living room walls, but didn’t think I could afford it. He grinned and said, “I’m going to write a number on the underside of this little slip of paper and when I leave you can look at the price.” When I did, there was a dollar sign and a big “0.” The Novak-signed original painting dedicated “To Val’s Hallas” is one of my most treasured possessions.
A musical memorial is being planned in the coming months at Rosa’s Lounge, where many of Bee’s paintings are on display. Tony Mangiullo (Rosa’s owner) and John Pazdan (Pezband) have set up a Facebook page where Mangiullo writes, “It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my friend and art mentor, Bumblebee Bob Novak. He died peacefully today [July 14] surrounded by family and close friends. He was a great artist and blues musician. He played guitar and harmonica and sang. He would tell everyone, ‘I was born and raised around Madison and Paulina. Blues was my neighborhood music. Maxwell Street was my shopping mall.’ It was only a few weeks ago, right before the Chicago Blues Festival, that he created this very last painting, ‘The King of the Blues’ Last Goodbye’ for us at Rosa’s Lounge. I will miss visiting him. He always made me laugh, gave me countless life/art lessons and, most important, introduced me to his tri-dimensional philosophy which I really never understood. Sorry, Bumblebee. R.I.P.”
The Bob “Bumble Bee Bob” Novak Memorial at Rosa’s Lounge will be an opportunity for musicians, fans and friends to share memories of “Bee” and be updated on details for the memorial concerts.
I feel privileged to have had Bumblebee Bob as a friend and am grateful for the legacy of art, music and stories that he left us — but I will forever miss the man.
Val Camilletti is the longtime owner of Val’s halla Records, is located at 239 Harrison St. in Oak Park.
