Saturday Night Attitude Dancing at the 2024 Birthday Of the Once and Future King of the Blues, Mister BB King
by Robert Wilkinson
September 16 was the birthday of Blues legend BB King.
Riley (Beale Street Blues Boy) King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015) played the blues. And did he! I saw him 3 times in the 70s, and he was a consummate professional. By his own admission he missed only about 15 gigs in the 67 years he was on stage. That’s amazing in itself!
A little from wiki about this great man:
... King "introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending and shimmering vibrato that would influence virtually every electric blues guitarist that followed." King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He is considered one of the most influential blues musicians of all time, earning the nickname "The King of the Blues", and one of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with Albert King and Freddie King). King was also known for performing tirelessly throughout his musical career, appearing at more than 200 concerts per year on average into his 70s. In 1956, he reportedly appeared at 342 shows.
Besides BB, I also got to see Albert King in the late 70s, and Freddie King several times between 1969-1980. Back then we didn’t call them “Three Kings of the Blues Guitar,” but just “the Kings.” Everyone in Texas knew of Freddie and Albert, since they were Texans who played smokin’ blues. But BB played enough times in Texas that he eventually took his place with Freddie and Albert, and that’s how the whole “3 Kings” came to be.
Anyway, we miss him, but he sure did leave a sweet legacy. We’ll begin the show with his best known song, and it’s perfect for the atmosphere in many places during this time of tension and trouble.
From the 1993 Montreux festival, BB delivering up a great audio-only version of his signature tune “The Thrill is Gone.” From the same gig, videos of “Rock Me Baby,” followed by “When It All Comes Down” and “Caledonia”
Here’s one of the earliest performance clips I could find! From 1968, BB King live performing “I’ve Got A Mind To Give Up Living”
Going way back to the 1970 Medicine Ball Caravan in Placitas, NM, in 1970, BB live and smokin’ cranking out “How Blue Can You Get” and “Just A Little Love”
From what looks to be the early 70s, a video clip from a Thanksgiving show titled One of BB King’s best performances
From 1973, BB King Live in Paris
From 1973 on The Midnight Special tv show, BB and Gladys Knights giving us “The Thrill is Gone”
From 1974, 41 minutes of BB King Live in Stockholm – 1974
Live in Kinshasa in 1974, BB giving us a great video performance of “Sweet Sixteen”
Live on the Soul Train tv show in 1975, here’s BB and Bobby Blue Bland giving up “It’s My Own Fault”
Here’s an audio-only version of BB and Bobby giving us “3 O’Clock Blues”
Here’s the entire 32 minute 1977 Soundstage performance! BB King and Bobby Blue Bland on Soundstage - 1977
Also from 1977 on Soul Train, a medley featuring BB, Bobby “Blue” Bland, and James Brown having fun serving up “Goin’ Down Slow,” “Gambler’s Blues,” “It’s My Own Fault,” and “I’m Sorry.”
From 1982, the audio of the 55 minute BB King performance on Austin City Limits! BB King on Austin City Limits - 1982
From 1983 in Dallas, BB King Live at Nick’s Uptown giving us 6 great tunes! We begin with “Every Day I Have the Blues.” From the same gig, “Better Not Look Down” and “Never Make Your Move Too Soon.”
We move into “Love Me Tender,” follow it with “Inflation Blues” and close with “The Thrill Is Gone”
Here’s the full 44 minute concert! BB King Live in Dallas - 1983
From 1983, here’s another hour treat! BB King and James Brown live in concert
Also from 1983, a 7 minute 50 medley by BB, James Brown, and Bobby Blue Bland cranking out ”Goin’ Down Slow,” “Gambler’s Blues,” “It’s My Own Fault,” and “I’m Sorry.”
From the 1985 Live Aid, megafestival, BB delivers a great version of “Rock Me Baby”
This year I was lucky and found all three songs! “Why I Sing the Blues,” “Don’t Answer the Door,” and “Rock Me Baby”
From the 1985 Farm Aid, Mr. King giving us a great performance of “How Blue Can You Get”
From 1987, live at the Ebony Showcase Theater in Los Angeles, an hour show! A Blues Session – BB King and friends
I found them again! Here are two video clips from The Legends of Rock and Roll dvd shot in Italy in 1989 featuring “Let the Good Times Roll” and “How Blue Can You Get.”
From 1993, live at the Apollo Theater, BB, Eric, Jeff Beck, Albert Collins, and Buddy Guy! BB King and Friends Live at the Apollo 1993 – pt. 1
BB King and Friends Live at the Apollo 1993 – pt. 2
Also, from 1993, BB and some major blues talent giving us
The Blues Summit Concert - 1993
From 1994, a 2 hour show in Germany! BB King Live in Bonn - 1994
From the 1995 Pori Jazz Festival, here’s “Let The Good Times Roll” and “Rock Me Baby”
From 1997 in Montreux, BB with Jeff Healey and Ronnie Earle giving us “You’re Going To Miss Me”
Last year I had his entire 1 hour and 20 live show at Stuttgart on one clip, but this year it’s disappeared. So instead, this link will take you to several from that show! BB King Live in Stuttgart - 1997 (“The Thrill Is Gone,” “Why I Sing the Blues,” “Let the Good Times Roll,” “Please Accept My Love,” “Stormy Monday,” and “All Over Again.”)
From the same gig, “Blues We Like” and “Whole Lotta Loving”
From Jan 1, 1998, BB and David Gilmour giving us “Eyesight to the Blind” and “Happy New Year”
Now for some audio-only clips!
From 1951, his first #1 hit! “3 O’Clock Blues”
Taking a cue from Elmore James, “Please Love Me”
Using the wayback machine, I found this great audio-only collaboration between BB and Jimi from 1968 at the Generation Club, accompanied by Al Kooper, Elvin Bishop, and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band! We begin with BB King and Jimi Hendrix – the Kings Jam - “Like a Rolling Stone,”and then move into BB King and Jimi Hendrix – the Kings Jam - “Blues Jam pt. 1” and BB King and Jimi Hendrix – the Kings Jam - “Blues Jam pt. 2”
BB said he believed this to be his best album! It begins with track 1, and autoloads each track from there. From 1970, Indianola Mississippi Seeds
From 1970, the entire studio album! BB King Live at the Cook County Jail
I found it again! Here's the entire 1972 studio album L.A. Midnight
Also reappearing on the radar is this classic 1972 album BB King Live at the Fillmore East
Because last year I found it in 4 parts, in case you don’t want to listen all the way through, here they are!
BB King Live at the Fillmore East pt. 1
BB King Live at the Fillmore East pt. 2
BB King Live at the Fillmore East pt. 3
BB King Live at the Fillmore East pt. 4
We’ll close this album section with the one that won him a Grammy in 2000! For your rocking blues pleasure, BB King and Eric Clapton Riding With the King
Here’s the official music video for “Riding With the King”
Also from that album, Eric and BB giving us “3 O’clock Blues”
BB live at North Sea Jazz performing “I’m A Blues Man”
I found it again! Here’s BB at the 2004 Crossroads Festival performing with Eric, Jimmie Vaughan, and Buddy Guy rolling out “Rock Me Baby.” From 3 years later, here’s his great 2007 Crossroads performance with Jimmie Vaughan, Hubert Sumlin, and Robert Cray in the groove with “Rock Me Baby”
A blistering performance featuring BB, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Paul Butterfield, Phil Collins, Dr. John, Etta James, Chaka Khan, Albert King, Gladys Knight, Billy Ocean, and others! A Blues Session - “Why I Sing The Blues.” From the same gig, BB’s off stage for the first 5 minutes, but Paul Butterfield, Stevie Ray, and Albert King show us how it’s done with “The Sky is Crying.”
Last year I had what was said to be his first live recording in 13 years recorded in 2006 at the BB King Blues Clubs in Nashville and Memphis, an hour and 20 of great live music! It’s gone, but I did find this exquisite one hour 23 minute 2003 concert! BB King and Band Live by Request in New York - 2003
And I did find this gem from 2006! Live with John Mayer, 17 minutes of blues gold! BB King and John Mayer Live at the King of the Blues 2006
Last year’s hour and 40 clip is gone, but I found this. Live at the Royal Albert Hall in 2011 on Soundstage,, an hour of pure electric blues! BB King Live at the Royal Albert Hall
We’ll close this tribute with his signature tune performed with Pavarotti! “The Thrill is Gone”
For the encore, an hour and 5 of three of the greatest! BB King, James Brown, and Michael Jackson – Live in 1983
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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