Last week, the world learned the sad news about the passing of a blues legend, Riley B. King, better known as B.B. King. He was eighty-nine years old at the time of his passing and had a music career that spanned seven decades. Born in 1925 in Mississippi, King was the son of a sharecropper, and a son of the blues.
In his youth, King would play on street corners for change and travel to different towns to perform, as many as four different towns on some nights. In the 1940s, all musicians traveled to Memphis, Tennessee to perform and to record; it was where the action was. In 1947, King hitchhiked to Memphis, and stayed with his cousin, Booker T Washington White, known as Bukka White, who had started his blues recording career in the 1930s. King used the time to be further schooled on the blues by his cousin.
It payed off the following year, when King appeared on a radio show hosted by Sonny Boy Williamson, a well-known blues harmonica player, on KWEM 990 AM. The radio station broadcasted out of West Memphis, Arkansas, and hundreds of artists played over its airwaves, some of which you might recognize.
KWEM closed its doors in 1960, but returned to the airwaves as an FM radio station and as a streaming Internet radio station just last week. The streaming Internet radio station is run by Mid-South Community College. Steady gigs followed King's appearances on KWEM, and then a ten-minute spot on the black-owned and operated WDIA 530 AM out of Memphis, Tennessee, titled King's Spot. The show became so popular, later being expanded and called the Sepia Swing Club, he wanted a catchy name for radio and was first known as Beale Street Blues Boy. It was shortened to Blues Boy, and then simply B.B.
B.B. King, circa 1948
His first hit was 'Three O'Clock Blues'.
Soon after, he began touring nationally, but it was in 1968 that his notoriety with audiences began to spread. King appeared at the Newport Folk Festival (which has been in existence for over fifty-five years) and Fillmore West, a San Francisco rock 'n' roll music venue owned by promoter Bill Graham, that lasted only three years (1968-1971).
Rock 'n' roll musicians such as George Harrison, Jeff Beck, and Eric Clapton had idolized King for years and wanted more people to hear his music. In late 1969, the Rolling Stones asked him to open for them during their "Storm America" U.S. tour. As a result, B.B. King was introduced to a younger and more predominately white audience.
Just over a month ago, I posted about a 2004 film titled Lightning in a Bottle, that featured King and many other blues artists. I invite you to check out that film, if you haven't already.
As I mentioned earlier, one of those greatly influenced by King was Eric Clapton. He recently posted a short video about the passing of King.
During his long and illustrious career, he had four R&B hits to reach #2 ('Please Love Me' in 1953, 'You Upset Me Baby' in 1954, 'Sweet Sixteen, Part I' in 1960, and 'Don’t Answer The Door, Part I' in 1966.) ... two R&B hits to reach #1 ('Three O’Clock Blues' in 1951 and 'You Don’t Know Me' in 1952) ... and his biggest crossover hit, 'The Thrill Is Gone', which reached #15 on the pop charts.
What made B.B. King famous around the world was his music. While this is not an exhaustive sharing, here are some tunes of his that were fan favorites whenever he performed in concert:
performing 'Paying the Cost to Be the Boss'
If you are not familiar with B.B. King's work, I strongly encourage you to do so. Mr. King, the thrill of your music will live on with us. From a sharecropper's son to a king, the King of the Blues.
R.I.P. B.B. King
Terry
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