B.B. King dead at 89 (1 Viewer)

[-fish-]

RIP.

Glad I got to see him play. He put on a helluva show.

 

[Zow]

Played blackjack with him at Mille lacs casino in mn like ten years ago. Cool guy. Sad news.

On the other hand, anybody still tracking that death pool on that oth:e:r board?

You probably still have zero points, guy.

Not after Mr. King unfortunately passed.

*ahem*

King, BB: chuckster, donsmith753

Still zero points.

WTF my roster must not have been carried over. Or I stupidly changed it.

 

[Bob Magaw]

End of an era.

RIP and God Bless You, BB.

Heaven's house band just got a lot better.

Indianola Mississippi Seeds, reportedly his favorite album among his own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq1v7abDj6s

* There were other, seminal, great blues artists (Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf, among them), but perhaps in part because of his longevity, and popularity on TV during the Baby Boomer era, guessing he has to be the most well known blues artist of the second half of the 20th century?

 

[Judge Smails]

RIP BB. I'm headed to the 2 day Doheny Blues Festival tomorrow - sure there will be a moment of silence and some tributes in his honor

 

[Jayrok]

I'd like to imagine somewhere in the blues section of heaven, there is a reunion concert from a couple of our beloved guitarists who have passed on in the last few years.

This one comes to mind.

 

[Tom Servo]

End of an era.

RIP and God Bless You, BB.

Heaven's house band just got a lot better.

Indianola Mississippi Seeds, reportedly his favorite album among his own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq1v7abDj6s

* There were other, seminal, great blues artists (Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf, among them), but perhaps in part because of his longevity, and popularity on TV during the Baby Boomer era, guessing he has to be the most well known blues artist of the second half of the 20th century?

Bob -

If I were to have just one album that best showcased his talents, which one would I buy?

 

[Bob Magaw]

End of an era.

RIP and God Bless You, BB.

Heaven's house band just got a lot better.

Indianola Mississippi Seeds, reportedly his favorite album among his own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq1v7abDj6s

* There were other, seminal, great blues artists (Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf, among them), but perhaps in part because of his longevity, and popularity on TV during the Baby Boomer era, guessing he has to be the most well known blues artist of the second half of the 20th century?

Bob -If I were to have just one album that best showcased his talents, which one would I buy?

Hey Tom,

I'm much more well versed on other genres (particularly jazz in general, and artists, groups and labels like Miles, Pink Floyd and Blue Note). IMS is actually the only work I have by him (youtube full album version was linked), so I'd definitely recommend checking it out. I'll attach some description info from wiki.

We no doubt have many varying degrees or levels of resident blues aficionados in the FFA, and I'd throw that question out to them (Simey in particular has already weighed in with a general respects paying tribute, and I know from previous exchanges on the board is a musical genre polymath). In the IMS notes, Live At The Regal and Singin' The Blues are also cited/referenced as among his most critically acclaimed albums, so I'll look for those links as well, along with perhaps some video.

Like jazz, I associate the blues with certain regional influences. There is the Mississipi Delta (Robert Johnson), Chicago (electrictrified blues like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf), Texas (Lightning Hopkins - I think one of the pioneers, or at least widely recognized as such, of the single note lead playing style?) and Memphis (B.B.), which is interesting, because that is also where legendary Southern Soul label Stax/Volt was founded, and brilliant, crack house band Booker T and the MGs hailed from.

Somewhat analogous to jazz artists Louis "Pops"/"Stachmo" Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Count Basie in THEIR lifetimes, they were living legends and American treasures that didn't rest on their laurels, but were on the road constantly for most of their professional lives, for the pure joy of the music, and because it was what they loved most in the world, giving generously of their lives and the traditions they stood in front of, and thereby helping to bequeath to the world among America's most original and important genres, idioms and forms of artistic expression - jazz, and the music it and virtually all American music is rooted in, the blues (the Western movie was another big one).

[[Chess Records, based in Chicago, was probably the preeminent independent Blues label.]]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_Records

* Indianola Mississippi Seeds background information (included one of my favorite rock guitarists, Joe Walsh).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianola_Mississippi_Seeds

Live At The Regal (AUDIO 35 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMTpa2wRFIQ

Singin' The Blues composite album (AUDIO)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff0pGFf0H_M&list=PLWCJOLJ9si2n3dPd2D6-pDs6a33C7vwMb

Riding With The King - B.B. & Eric Clapton collaboration album (AUDIO 60 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfuO3IVzMPw

The Thrill Is Gone, Live at Montreux 1993, 17,604,917 page views and counting (VIDEO 6 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fk2prKnYnI

The Thrill Is Gone, Eric Clapton's Crossroads Festival 2010 (VIDEO 11 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMEzFgCLv8c

Live in Dallas 1983 (VIDEO nearly 45 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2OXNThMj7s

B.B. King & Band Live at B.B. King Blues Clubs in Nashville and Memphis 2006 (VIDEO nearly 75 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaENmXLxp2I

Live At The Royal Albert Hall 2011 (VIDEO 80 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5_j91FjsXM

B.B. King - The Life of Riley, a BBC doc (VIDEO 95+ minutes) - his real name was Riley Ben, thus the title.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGTxDRiqwkM

** General Blues

Lightning In A Bottle - Martin Scorcese produced, Antoine Fuqua directed full concert, many blues greats, including B.B. (VIDEO 110 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7aD2s8Wvb0

The Blues: A Musical Journey - Feel Like Going Home, episode 1 of another Scorcese production, multi-director Blues history doc series (VIDEO nearly 80 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYtyNHyzRCY

The Soul Of A Man, episode 2, by German director Wim Wenders of Wings of Desire fame (VIDEO nearly 100 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM3eX7oku4E

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Between Ben E. and now B.B., it's been a rough couple of weeks for the R&B world. RIP to a another king legend.

B.B > Ben E. >> Larry

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I read that Bono said when they recorded "When Love Comes To Town", he (Bono) let out the greatest scream he could muster to kick the song off. Then B.B. started singing and, according to Hewitt, "I felt like a girl".

 

[Bob Magaw]

B.B. King Blues Band - Ralph Gleason's Jazz Casual TV show appearance from 1968 (VIDEO nearly 30 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUWXljAsaAs

 

[Bob Magaw]

Coroner reexamines body after daughters' poisoning allegations (lab results could take 6-8 weeks).

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/coroner-examining-b-b-kings-body-after-allegations-foul-play-n364351