In 1955, Charles White provided an illustration for the cover of Jimmy Rushing sings the blues. The record was released on the Vanguard label as part of its ‎Vanguard Jazz Showcase. This particular version was issued as VRS-8011. Again, it was a 10" mono recording. Jimmy Rushing (1901– 1972) was an American blues and jazz singer who had worked closely with Count Basie’s Orchestra from the mid 1930s to mid 1940s. The covers of Jimmy Rushing sings the blues featured a drawing of two guitar-carrying musicians. This cover differed slightly from AVRS-7005, in part on account of its red border and slightly different rendering of the railing. The original drawing for the record cover, 'Jazz - Jimmy Rushing Sings the Blues', a pen and ink work, 34" x 24", dating from 1955, was, nearly three decades later, offered for sale by Heritage Gallery, Los Angeles.

The album notes contained the following: "ABOUT THE COVER The drawing on the cover is one of a series commissioned by Vanguard from the distinguished artist, Charles White. Mr. White’s work is represented in the Whitney Museum, Library of Congress, and other famous collections. In 1952 he won an Academy of Arts and Letters award and a national prize in the Metropolitan Museum of Art competition in New York. The drawing does not portray any of the performers on this record, but attempts to capture the human experiences out of which the blues arose." A version of this text was reproduced on a number of the Vanguard sleeves that Charles White illustrated.