Ruby James ft Rosie Flores – Bumble Bee
Ruby James offers a salute to early rock and roll with her spellbinding cover of LaVern Baker’s “Bumble Bee”.
This electric update of the mid-fifties classic features guitar legend, Rosie Flores. Ruby’s version is a 4-on-the-floor rhythm that shifts to a 50’s surf beat in the guitar solo but doesn’t fail to acknowledge the heart of the original; a reminder of the deep musical bloodline running through the veins of modern rock and roll.
“Bumble Bee” launches Call It Rock & Roll with a fearless nod to the roots of rock and roll. Originally made famous by LaVern Baker in the mid-1950s, Ruby James reclaims the song with grit, groove, and modern swagger, transforming a vintage rhythm-and-blues burner into a high-voltage rock and roll statement.
The reinvention took shape when longtime collaborators locked into an unstoppable groove. Bassist Harmoni Kelley helped drive the track’s pulse, pushing the low end into fuzzed-out territory, while baritone guitar from David Jimenez added weight and shadow. The rhythm refuses to let go. The track truly took flight when guitar legend Rosie Flores stepped in. Rosie Flores brings a sonic sting into the groove and kicks the song into overdrive, earning her the nickname “The Red Hornet” inside Ruby’s inner circle.
Ruby and Rosie’s connection runs deep. The two first crossed paths in Austin more than a decade ago, sharing stages, residencies, and late-night sets at the Continental Club, where rhythm and blues, soul, and rock and roll collided nightly. Though they’d played countless shows together over the years, “Bumble Bee” marks their first true studio collaboration.
“I’ve always loved ‘Bumble Bee,’ and I’m still surprised by how many people have never heard it,” says James. “When I started recording again, my producer Kyle Crusham and I knew it could become something ferocious if we reimagined it. Once the groove locked in and Rosie stepped in, everything took flight. This felt like the perfect way to kick off a new chapter for me, with my mentor right there beside me.”
For James, the song also carries deeper personal meaning. Long before recording began, she had been referring to herself as the bumble bee, a symbol of persistence, instinct, and forward motion. That spirit quietly threaded its way into the recording, giving the song a personal sense of momentum and purpose.
“There’s a sweet and sexy playfulness to ‘Bumble Bee,’ but there’s also a real sting,” James adds. “It’s an empowerment tale of a woman drawing a line. She gives her love sweetly and freely, but don’t double-cross her. Once you betray her, she knows how to cut clean and walk away with her power fully intact.”
“Ruby called and asked me to come play some solos on this ‘Bumble Bee’ song, and of course I jumped at the chance,” says Rosie Flores. “Getting ready for the session, I was brushing my teeth with my electric toothbrush and realized it sounded like a mad hornet. I brought that energy into the session and got some amazing ‘mad hornet’ tones. It’s been so fun watching Ruby bring her rock and roll swagger back into her shows. She’s a true artist, the kind of singer who reaches deep inside her soul.”
As the lead single from Call It Rock & Roll, “Bumble Bee” sets the tone for Ruby James’ return, rooted in tradition, alive with risk, and powered by chemistry earned over years of shared stages.
The single is accompanied by an equally bold and playful music video, featuring animated alter egos of Ruby as the Queen Bee and Rosie as the Red Hornet. Blending live action with animation, the video channels the irreverent spirit of classic pop visuals while celebrating the chemistry, humor, and power shared between two artists who know exactly who they are.
“Rosie has always joked that someone took the rock out of me and that it was her job to put it back,” James adds. “I don’t think I was ready before. I am now.”
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