BB King
From playing on his own, to U2, to Eric Clapton. BB King always shows why he is the King of the Blues!
Scroll down past the album listings for a history of BB King .
Opting for simplicity this time around, B.B. King gets by with a little help from his excellent backing band, producing an album that's evocative of the Louisiana countryside where it was recorded. After over half a century in the business, King knows what he's about: he makes playing good blues sound easy, and every track on Blues on the Bayou is a treat. --Genevieve Williams |
|
It sounds like the beginning of a story: "So, Slowhand and the King of the Blues were riding in a car ..." If this is a musical journey, it's the kind that rolls down long, empty stretches of country highway at 80 miles an hour, with the top down and the stereo blasting. Clapton and King may be more city than country, but this collection has the relaxed, laid-back feel that only comes from a pair of veterans doing what they do best. What they do here is cover 12 classic blues songs, many of them staples of King's repertoire, so the title of this album makes sense. Whether it's the rollicking rock & roll of the title track, or the acoustic shuffle of "Key to the Highway," or the sweet notes of "When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer," a real sense of pleasure comes through on this album, the kind of pleasure one gets from jamming late at night with a good friend. --Genevieve Williams
|
|
One of the greatest concert recordings of all time. How could it be less, with B.B. King performing some of his best material before a literally captive audience in an Illinois prison? "Worry, Worry" and "How Blue Can You Get" take on deeper meanings here, although King works the latter's camp lyrics as if he were in a juke joint. His mix of down-home humility and commanding stagecraft is instantly appealing. And his guitar barks, sings, and squeals with such authority that this is a bravura performance from the first bent, soul-searing note. A true desert-island disc. --Ted Drozdowski |
|
Heralded as one of the greatest live blues albums ever recorded, this set catches the singer-guitarist as his star was in ascent: in 1964 playing Chicago's answer to Harlem's Apollo Theater--the Regal. King's performance is visceral. He sings so hard that gravel flies even in his clearest high notes. And his trademark single-note guitar lines are sharp and steely, matching his voice with trembling vigor. He offers early hits like "How Blue Can You Get," "Worry, Worry," and "You Upset Me Baby" to what's essentially his adopted hometown crowd (by his own account, King had already played the theater hundreds of times). They give him a hero's welcome. In fact, the audience's screaming enthusiasm is distracting. But rarely has a love-fest of this magnitude between a performer and fans been documented. --Ted Drozdowski |
|
This is an extremely brief single-disc summary of B.B. King's MCA output beginning with his first single for the label, 1963's "How Blue Can You Get?" through his pairing with Robert Cray on "Playin' with My Friends" from 1993's Blues Summit all-star recording. Among the many highlights are two tracks ("Every Day I Have the Blues" and "Sweet Little Angel") from the essential Live at the Regal, "The Thrill Is Gone" (which went to No. 15 in 1970, making it the highest charting blues song ever on the U.S. pop charts!) and the chilling "When Love Comes to Town" with U2. While condensing 30 years of music onto a single disc is an impossible task, this makes an excellent primer for novice fans on a budget. RECOMMENDED [Note: Last November MCA released the 2-disc B.B. King Anthology. It includes EVERY song on Greatest Hits, plus an additional 18 songs. For a few extra bucks, this would be the album to get instead.]
|
Riley B. King aka B. B. King (born September 16, 1925) is a well known American blues guitarist and songwriter. He is among the most respected electric guitarists. One of King's trademarks is naming his guitars "Lucille", a tradition that began in the 1950s.
Early years
Born in Itta Bena, Mississippi, King spent much of his childhood sharing time living with his mother and his grandmother and working as a sharecropper. King has said he was paid 35 cents for each 100 pounds (45 kg) of cotton he picked before discovering his other talents. At an early age, King developed a love for blues guitarists like T-Bone Walker and Lonnie Johnson and jazz artists like Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt. Soon King was cultivating his own musical skills singing Glokenspiel music in church.
In 1943, King moved to Indianola, Mississippi. Three years later, King moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he finely honed his guitar technique with the help of his cousin, country blues guitarist Bukka White.
In the winter of 1949, King played at a dance hall in Twist, Arkansas. In order to heat the hall, a barrel half-filled with kerosene was lit, a common practice. During a performance, two men began to fight, knocking over the burning barrel and sending burning fuel across the floor. This triggered an evacuation. Once outside, King realized that he had left his guitar inside the burning building. He entered the blaze to retrieve his guitar, a Gibson acoustic. Two people died in the fire. The next day, King discovered that the two men were fighting over a woman named Lucille. King named that first guitar Lucille, as well as every one he owned since that near-fatal experience, "to remind me never to do a thing like that again."
Eventually, King began broadcasting his music live on Memphis radio station WDIA, a station that had only recently changed their format to play all-black music which was extremely rare at the time. On the air, King started out using the name "The Pepticon Boy" which later became the "Beale Street Blues Boy". The name was then shortened to just Blues Boy and, eventually, simply "B.B."
Recording years
In 1949, King began recording songs under contract with Los Angeles based RPM Records. Many of King's early recordings were produced by Sam Phillips, who would eventually found the legendary Sun Records.
In the 1950s, King became one of the most important names in R&B music, collecting an impressive list of hits under his belt that included songs like "You Know I Love You," "Woke Up This Morning," "Please Love Me," "When My Heart Beats like a Hammer," "Whole Lotta' Love," "You Upset Me Baby," "Every Day I Have the Blues," "Sneakin' Around," "Ten Long Years," "Bad Luck," "Sweet Little Angel," "On My Word of Honor," and "Please Accept My Love." In 1962, King signed to ABC-Paramount Records.
In November of 1964, King recorded the legendary Live at the Regal album at the Regal Theater in Chicago, Illinois.
King first found success outside of the blues market with the 1969 remake of the Roy Hawkins tune, "The Thrill Is Gone," which became a hit on both pop and R&B charts, which is rare for an R&B artist even today. King's mainstream success continued throughout the 1970s with songs like "To Know You Is to Love You" and "I Like to Live the Love." From 1951 to 1985, King appeared on Billboard's R&B charts an amazing 74 times.
Going mainstream
The 1980s, 1990s and 2000s saw King recording less and less, but maintaining a highly visible and active career appearing on numerous television shows, major motion pictures and performing 300 nights a year. In 1988 he reached a new generation of fans via the single "When Love Comes To Town", together with the Irish band U2. In 2000, King teamed up with guitarist Eric Clapton to record Riding With the King.
In 2003, he shared the stage with the rock band Phish in New Jersey, performing three of his classics and jamming with the band for over 30 minutes.
In 2004, King was awarded an honorary Ph.D from the University of Mississippi and the Royal Swedish Academy of Music awarded him the Polar Music Prize, for his "significant contributions to the blues". King had also donated his extensive blues collection to the Ole Miss Center for Southern Studies.
In 1997 an Ole Miss Alum tourist was killed by the bouncers in BB King's Memphis Night Club before scores of eyewitness patrons. A growing controversy exists around the murder and BB King has never commented publicly about the crime.
At 80, King has lived a very full and active life. He has been a licensed pilot, a known gambler and is also a vegetarian, non-drinker and non-smoker. A diabetic for over ten years, King has been a visible spokesman in the fight against diabetes and has appeared in advertisements for diabetes-management products.
Trivia
o According to a 2003 listing in Rolling Stone magazine, B.B. King is the greatest living guitarist, and ranked 3rd among the "100 greatest guitarists of all time" (behind late Jimi Hendrix and Duane Allman).
o He is mentioned in the Beatles' song "Dig It". He has a guest appearance in an episode of Young and Restless (Sean takes Jill to a club where he sings).
o B.B. King also made an appearance in an episode of the mid-90's comedy show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
o He also appeared in episodes of Sanford and Son and The Cosby Show.
o For much of his early career, he was usually seen playing a Gibson ES-355TD-SV guitar. This model was discontinued in 1980, being replaced by a Gibson BB King (Lucille) model, which is still available today.
o B.B. King has also used other guitars, such as a Fender Telecaster, Gibson ES-330, Gibson ES-335, Gibson ES-345, Gibson ES-5, and Gibson ES-175. However, he is not as closely associated with these guitars as he is with the ES-355 and his Lucille signatures, produced by Gibson.
Discography
This discography while aiming for completeness, is as-yet incomplete.
Albums
1. King of the Blues (1960)
2. My Kind of Blues (1960)
3. Live at the Regal (Live, 1965)
4. Lucille (1968)
5. Live and Well (1969)
6. Indianola Mississippi Seeds (1970)
7. B.B. King In London (1971)
8. Live in Cook County Jail (1971)
9. Lucille Talks Back (1975)
10. Live "Now Appearing" at Ole Miss (1980)
11. There Must Be a Better World Somewhere (1981)
12. Love Me Tender (1982)
13. Why I Sing the Blues (1983)
14. Live at San Quentin (1991)
15. Live at the Apollo (Live, 1991)
16. There is Always One More Time (1991)
17. Riding With The King (2000)
18. Reflections (2003)
19. The Ultimate Collection (2005)
20. B.B. King & Friends: 80 (2005)
[edit]
Singles
o "Miss Martha King" (1949, Bullet)
o "Got the Blues" (1949)
o "Mistreated Woman" (1950, RPM)
o "The Other Might Blues" (1950)
o "I Am" (1950)
o "My Baby's Gone" (1950)
o "B.B. Blues" (1951)
o "She's a Mean Woman" (1951)
o "Three O'Clock Blues" (1951)
o "Fine-Looking Woman" (1952)
o "Shake It Up and Go" (1952)
o "Someday, Somewhere" (1952)
o "You Didn't Want Me" (1952)
o "Story from My Heart and Soul" (1952)
o "Woke Up This Morning With A Bellyache" (1953)
o "Please Love Me" (1953)
o "Neighborhood Affair" (1953)
o "Why Did You Leave Me" (1953)
o "Praying to the Lord" (1953)
o "Love Me Baby" (1954)
o "Everything I Do Is Wrong" (1954)
o "When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer" (1954)
o "You Upset Me Baby" (1954)
o "Sneaking Around" (1955) R&B: #14
o "Every Day I Have the Blues" (1955) R&B: #8 1
o "Lonely and Blue" (1955)
o "Shut Your Mouth" (1955)
o "Talkin' the Blues" (1955)
o "What Can I Do (Just Sing the Blues)" (1955)
o "Ten Long Years" (1955) R&B: #9 2
o "I'm Cracking Up Over You" (1956)
o "Crying Won't Help You" (1956) R&B: #15
o "Did You Ever Love a Woman?" (1956)
o "Dark Is the Night, Pts. I & II" (1956)
o "Sweet Little Angel" (1956) R&B: #6
o "Bad Luck" (1956) R&B: #3 3
o "On My Word of Honor" (1956) R&B: #3
o "Early in the Morning" (1957)
o "How Do I Love You" (1957)
o "I Want to Get Married" (1957) R&B: #14
o "Twoubles, Twoubles, Twoubles" (1957) R&B: #13 4
o "(I'm Gonna) Quit My Baby" (1957)
o "Be Careful with a Fool" (1957) Pop: #95 5
o "The Keyblade to My Kingdom" (1957)
o "Why Do Everything Happen to Me" (1958, Kent)
o "Don't Look Now, But You Got the Blues" (1958)
o "Please Accept My Love" (1958) R&B: #9
o "You've Been an Angel" (1958) R&B: #16 6
o "The Fool" (1958)
o "A Lonely Lover's Plea" (1959)
o "Time to Say Goodbye" (1959)
o "Sugar Mama" (1959)
o "Sweet Sixteen, Pt. I" (1960) R&B: #2
o "You Done Lost Your Good Thing" (1960)
o "Things Are Not the Same" (1960)
o "Bad Luck Soul" (1960)
o "Hold That Train" (1960)
o "Someday Baby" (1961)
o "Peace of Mind" (1961) R&B: #7 7
o "Bad Case of Love" (1961)
o "Lonely" (1962)
o "I'm Gonna Sit Till You Give In" (1962, ABC)
o "Down Now" (1962, Kent)
o "The Road I Travel" (1963)
o "The Letter" (1963)
o "Precious Lord" (1963)
o "How Blue Can You Get" (1964, ABC) Pop: #97 8
o "You're Gonna Miss Me" (1964, Kent)
o "Beautician Blues" (1964)
o "Help the Poor" (1964, ABC) Pop: #98 8
o "The Worst Thing in My Life" (1964, Kent)
o "Rockabye Baby" (1964) Pop: #34 8
o "The Hurt" (1964, ABC)
o "Never Trust a Woman" (1964) Pop: #90 8
o "Please Send Me Someone to Love" (1964)
o "Night Owl" (1964)
o "I Need You" (1965)
o "All Over Again" (1965)
o "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water" (1965)
o "Blue Shadows" (1965, Kent)
o "Just a Dream" (1965)
o "You're Still a Parralellogram" (1965, ABC)
o "Broken Promise" (1965, Kent)
o "Eyesight to the Blind" (1966)
o "Five Long Years" (1966)
o "Ain't Nobody's Business" (1966)
o "Don't Answer the Door, Pt. I" (1966, ABC) R&B: #2 Pop: #72
o "I Say in the Mood" (1966, Kent) R&B: #45
o "Waitin' for You" (1966, ABC)
o "Blues Stay Away" (1967, Kent)
o "The Jungle" (1967)
o "Growing Old" (1967)
o "Blues for Me" (1968)
o "I Don't Want You Cuttin' Off Your Hair" (1967, Bluesway)
o "Shoutin' the Blues" (1968, Kent)
o "Paying the Cost to Be the Boss" (1968, Bluesway) R&B: #10 Pop: #39
o "I'm Gonna Do What They Do to Me" (1968) R&B: #26 Pop: #74
o "The B. B. Jones" (1968) Pop: #98
o "You Put It on Me" (1968) R&B: #25 Pop: #82 9
o "The Woman I Love" (1968) R&B: #31 Pop: #94
o "Get Myself Somebody" (1969)
o "I Want You So Bad" (1969)
o "Get Off My Back Woman" (1969) R&B: #32 Pop: #74 10
o "Why I Sing the Blues" (1969) R&B: #13 Pop: #61
o "Just a Little Love" (1969) R&B: #15 Pop: #76
o "I Want You So Bad" (1969) R&B: #34
o "The Thrill Is Gone" (1970) R&B: #3 Pop: #15
o "So Excited" (1970) R&B: #14 Pop: #54
o "Hummingbird" (1970) R&B: #25 Pop: #48
o "Worried Life" (1970) R&B: #48
o "Ask Me No Questions" (1970, ABC) R&B: #18 Pop: #40
o "Chains and Things" (1970) R&B: #6 Pop: #45
o "Nobody Loves Me But My Mother" (1971)
o "Help the Poor" (1971, re-recording) R&B: #36 Pop: #90
o "Ghetto Woman" (1971) R&B: #18 Pop: #40
o "The Evil Child" (1971) R&B: #34 Pop: #97
o "Sweet Sixteen" (1972, re-recording) R&B: #37 Pop: #93
o "I Got Some Help I Don't Need" (1972) R&B: #28 Pop: #92
o "Ain't Nobody Home" (1972) R&B: #28 Pop: #46
o "Guess Who" (1972) R&B: #21 Pop: #62
o "To Know You Is to Love You" (1973) R&B: #12 Pop: #38
o "I Like to Live the Love" (1974) R&B: #6 Pop: #28
o "Who Are You" (1974) R&B: #27 Pop: #78
o "Philadelphia" (1974) R&B: #19 Pop: #64
o "My Song" (1975)
o "Friends" (1975) R&B: #34 11
o "Let the Good Times Roll" (1976) R&B: #20
o "Slow and Easy" (1977) R&B: #88
o "Never Make a Move Too Soon" (1978) R&B: #19
o "I Just Can't Leave Your Love Alone" (1978) R&B: #90
o "Better Not Look Down" (1979) R&B: #30
o "There Must Be a Better World Somewhere" (1981) R&B: #91
o "Into the Night" (1985) R&B: #15
o "Big Boss Man" (1985) R&B: #62
o "When Love Comes to Town" (1988, with U2) Rock: #2 Pop: #68 12
o "The Blues Come Over Me" (1992) R&B: #63
o "Riding with the King" (2000, with Eric Clapton) Rock: #26
Notes:
1. "Everyday I Have the Blues" was the b-side to "Sneaking Around."
2. "Ten Long Years" was the b-side to "What Can I Do (Just Sing the Blues)."
3. "Bad Luck" was the b-side to "Sweet Little Angel."
4. "Troubles, Troubles, Troubles" was the b-side to "I Want to Get Married."
5. "Be Careful with a Fool" was the b-side to "(I'm Gonna) Quit My Baby."
6. "You've Been an Angel" was the b-side to "Please Accept My Love."
7. "Peace of Mind" was the b-side of "Someday Baby."
8. Billboard Magazine did not publish an R&B Singles chart between November 1963 and January 1965.
9. "You Put It On Me" was the b-side of "The B.B. Jones."
10. "Get Off My Back Woman" was the b-side of "I Want You So Bad."
11. "Friends" was the b-side of "My Song."
12. "When Love Comes to Town" was the first B.B. King single to chart on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Videos
Compilations
1. The Electric B.B. King - His Best (1960)
2. Great Moments with B.B. King (1981)
3. The King of the Blues: 1989 (1988)
4. Got My Mojo Working (1989)
5. King of the Blues (Box Set, 1992)
6. Why I Sing the Blues (1992)
7. Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: B.B. King; (2003)
8. Ultimate Collection (2005)
As-yet uncategorised recordings
1. Blues Summit; 1993
2. How Blue Can You Get? Live Performances; 1996
3. Deuces Wild; 1997
4. Take it Home; 1998
5. His Best - The Electric B.B. King; 1998
6. Completely Well; 1998
7. Greatest Hits; 1998
8. Blues on the Bayou; 1998
9. Millennium Collection - 20th Century Masters; 1999
10. His Definitive Greatest Hits; app. 1999
11. Live in Japan; 1999
12. Let the Good Times Roll; 1999
13. Makin' Love is Good for You; 2000
14. Anthology; 2000
15. Live at San Quentin (Remastered); 2001
16. Here & There - The Uncollected B.B. King; 2001
17. A Christmas Collection of Hope; 2001
18. Blues is King; 2002
19. Christmas Collection - 20th Century Masters; 2003
20. Reflections; 2003
This section is a stub. You can help by adding to it.
---Wikipedia
About Us | FAQ | Contact Us | Disclosure
New Album T-Shirts Mp3s Dedications What's New Pics For Musicians