Born in New York in 1961, Bobby Broom started playing the guitar at age 11 and, after hearing George Benson's Bad Benson just a few years later, decided to become a professional musician. He made rapid progress and, at 16, was invited to tour with Sonny Rollins. In deference to his parents' wishes that he finish school (Manhattan's High School of Music and Art), Broom declined, but ended up joining Rollins's band for a time in the early '80s, and again in 2005.

Broom's recording debut came in 1980, on trumpeter Tom Browne's GRP album Love Approach (which contained the hit "Funkin' for Jamaica"). The following year Bobby signed with the label and recorded Clean Sweep, with Victor Bailey and Omar Hakim.

Relocating in Chicago when he was just 23, Broom became an in-demand sideman who worked with Kenny Burrell, Stanley Turrentine, Dr. John, and Charles Earland, in addition to Rollins. Albums under his own name include No Hype Blues (1995), Waiting and Waiting (1997), and a pair of CDs released in 2001--Stand! and Modern Man. Bobby is also a member of the Deep Blue Organ Trio, along with organist Chris Foreman and drummer Greg Rockingham; they've recorded a CD (Deep Blue Bruise) and CD/DVD (Goin' to Town: Live at the Green Mill) for Delmark.