The Blues Boy is gone. And with him the second generation of bluesmen; the guys who came north, most from Mississippi, after the original acoustic Delta blues cats like Son House, Skip James and Robert Johnson had seen their time in the spotlight fade. For this younger generation, electricity was the calling card. Microphones and electric guitars their weapons. As it must, time marches on and the crew that included Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and B.B. King, one that changed blues, rock ‘n’ roll and really all of popular music forever, has now gone into that good night as Riley B.King died at his home in Las Vegas last night at the age of 89.
It’s hard to exaggerate anything about a man who lived so long and accomplished so much. What made him so special besides his famous guitar, Lucille, his unequaled showmanship that brought the blues to millions and his long, single note leads that gave new meaning to the word “stinging,” is his massive discography which, leaving out a multitude of compilations and licensing projects, numbers over 80 albums. A consummate performer who was a great player, very good singer, and very funny when he wanted to be, King’s most important recordings were invariably live albums, two of which bookend his most productive period, Live at the Regal in 1965 and Live in Cook County Jail in 1971. Yet B.B.’s studio records during that same period have their moments as well, especially his output on Bluesway/ABC Records. Albums like Live & Well and Completely Well are both classics as is the record pictured above Indianola Mississippi Seeds. Although his later recordings never quite reached those heights again, he had several late career highlights including his 1999 heartfelt tribute to the great Louis Jordon, Let The Good Times Roll: the Music of Louis Jordan and what would prove to be his last studio album, the 2008 T Bone Burnett- produced One Kind Favor.
Also late in life, King became a television pitch man of some renown and also attached his name to a string of music-themed restaurants in Nashville, Memphis, Orlando and New York. Located on 42nd street just off Times Square, the New York club, which is also a music venue, is a giant tourist trap. Although it has hosted many a great show by the likes of James Brown and Chuck Berry, it’s probably most famous for booking goofy tribute bands of every size, shape and color and having some of the most overpriced food and drink in all of Times Square which given that location is no mean feat. I always thought the man deserved better.
