B.B. King RSS Feed

Ladies and Gentleman..... Mr. B.B. King | News

bbknews — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:24:00 GMT

PledgeMusic, the international direct-to-fan music company, is releasing “Ladies and Gentleman ….Mr .B.B King” the first complete career spanning 10 CD Box Set from the legendary King of the Blues, in partnership with Universal Strategic Marketing.

The full box set comprises 10 CDs of the following...

Two CDs chronicling his early years on Bullet, Modern/RPM and Kent/Crown Records:

• All 4 Bullet Recordings from 1949 • 27 RPM/Modern singles, spanning 1950-1957 • 19 Kent/Crown singles and album tracks, spanning 1958-1971

Eight CDs chronicling his recording achievements on ABC-Paramount, ABC Bluesway, ABC, ABC/Impulse, MCA and Geffen Records, as well as high profile collaborations

• 80 recordings chronicling his ABC Years (1962-1978) • 64 recordings chronicling his MCA and Geffen Years (1979 – 2012)

By ‘pre-ordering’ or pledging for their copy, fans will get their copy before anybody else and as the campaign progresses, Pledgers will also be able to choose from a growing range of items with some amazing extras also available.

By pledging, fans will also gain access to a special Pledgers-only Updates Page where we’ll post exclusive content, news and updates to keep fans, not only informed, but also rewarded!

As if all this weren’t enough, whether you choose the 10 CD box set or the 4CD cut down version you will be entitled to a very special digital download of unreleased and rare music from the King of the Blues.

For more than half a century, Riley B. King - better known as B.B. King - has defined the blues for a worldwide audience. Since he started recording in the 1940s, he has released over fifty albums, many of them classics. He was born September 16, 1925, on a plantation in Itta Bena, Mississippi, near Indianola.

Over the years, B.B. has developed one of the world's most identifiable guitar styles. His economy, his every-note-counts phrasing, has been a model for thousands of players, from Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Ronnie Woods, The Edge, Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jimmy Page, Slash and George Harrison to Jeff Beck.

B.B.King continues to tour extensively, averaging over 250 concerts per year around the world. This year as well as touring extensively in the US he will be playing in the Lebanon, France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland Germany and Brazil.

For more details and information on ordering, visit http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/bbking

“Ladies and Gentlemen…Mr B.B. King” - campaign through Pledge Music will run until September when on the 24^th the album will be released.

The campaign is Global and Pledges can be taken in any currency and we can deliver just about anywhere in the world.

Deadwood Mountain Grand Hotel & Casino, Deadwood, SD | 11/14/2012 | Concert

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 03:15:00 GMT

Chumash Casino, Santa Ynez, CA | 11/1/2012 | Concert

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 03:13:00 GMT

Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA | 11/2/2012 | Concert

Thu, 31 May 2012 18:28:00 GMT

House of Blues - Atlantic City, Atlantic City, NJ | 11/23/2012 | Concert

Thu, 31 May 2012 18:28:00 GMT

B.B. King Blue's Club, New York, NY | 11/30/2012 | Concert

Tue, 29 May 2012 15:00:00 GMT

<br>http://ticketsus.at/dano615?CTY=37&LID=BBKNYC&DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/688/769912?brand=bbkingblues&camefrom=cfc_bbking_artist

B.B. King Blue's Club, New York, NY | 11/29/2012 | Concert

Tue, 29 May 2012 15:00:00 GMT

<br>http://ticketsus.at/dano615?CTY=37&LID=BBKNYC&DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/688/769912?brand=bbkingblues&camefrom=cfc_bbking_artist

The Howard Theatre, Washington, DC | 11/25/2012 | Concert

Tue, 29 May 2012 14:59:00 GMT

The Howard Theatre, Washington, DC | 11/24/2012 | Concert

Tue, 29 May 2012 14:59:00 GMT

Benedum Center, Pittsburgh, PA | 11/21/2012 | Concert

Tue, 29 May 2012 14:57:00 GMT

Bourbon Street Music Club, Sao Paulo, BR | 10/7/2012 | Concert

Fri, 11 May 2012 17:29:00 GMT

Via Funchal, Sao Paulo, BRA | 10/6/2012 | Concert

Fri, 11 May 2012 17:26:00 GMT

Via Funchal, Sao Paulo, BRA | 10/5/2012 | Concert

Fri, 11 May 2012 17:25:00 GMT

Teatro Guaira, Curitiba, BR | 10/2/2012 | Concert

Fri, 11 May 2012 17:24:00 GMT

<br>http://www.tguaira.pr.gov.br

Vivo Rio, Rio De Janeiro, BR | 9/29/2012 | Concert

Fri, 11 May 2012 17:20:00 GMT

<br>http://ww.vivorio.com.br

Peppermill Wendover Casino, Wendover, NV | 11/10/2012 | Concert

Tue, 08 May 2012 02:49:00 GMT

B.B. King - Live At The Royal Albert Hall 2011 | News

bbknews — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 02:16:00 GMT

On June 28, 2011, the "King of the Blues" B.B. King played to an adoring sold-out crowd at London's spectacular Royal Albert Hall. It was another unforgettable night in the career of one of the most legendary bluesmen to ever pick up a guitar. Joining the illustrious Mr. King onstage were guitar virtuoso Derek Trucks, "songbird extraordinaire" Susan Tedeschi, The Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood, Simply Red's Mick Hucknall and former Guns N' Roses axeman Slash.

TRACK LIST:
I Need You So
Key To The Highway
See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
All Over Again
Rock Me Baby
You Are My Sunshine
B.B. Jams With Guests
The Thrill Is Gone
Guess Who
When The Saints Go Marching In

Please use the appropriate link for the country you live in:

USA:
http://www.amazon.com/B-B-King-Royal-Albert-Blu-ray/dp/B00722ZHT8

UK and all Others:

http://smarturl.it/BBkingvideo

B.B. King celebrates his 86th Birthday | News

bbknews — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:54:00 GMT

Born Sept 16, 1925, Riley B. King, known to us as B.B. King, celebrates his 86th birthday today!

Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at No.3 on its list of the "100 greatest guitarists of all time"

Be sure to send birthday wishes to B.B. at his facebook page! Go there now.

SIRIUSXM gives you the best sports, news, talk, entertainment and commercial-free music, including B.B. King's Bluesville - the home of authentic blues from the past to the present. Everything worth listening to is on SIRIUSXM.

Get a FREE* 30-Day Trial of SIRIUS|XM.

Go Here To Start Your FREE* Trial Now.

B.B. King performs on Steve Cropper's new album, Dedicated | News

bbknews — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 22:17:00 GMT

B.B. King performs with Shemekia Copeland on Steve Cropper's new album, Dedicated, due to be released on Aug 9th, 2011.

B.B. King and Skemekia Copeland performs on track #3 titled Baby Don't Do It.

As the original guitarist of Stax Records house band Booker T. & The M.G.'s., Steve Cropper has had a storied career. Voted #36 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time, Cropper has worked with blues legends such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and the Blues Brothers Band. His debut album on 429 Records is a tribute to R&B and doo wop act, The 5 Royales. The collection features reworked versions of the groups most enduring songs, and includes duets with Lucinda Williams, Bettye LaVette, John Popper, Sharon Jones, and others

B.B. King Reminisces on SIRIUS XM Radio | Video

bbknews — Mon, 02 May 2011 00:54:00 GMT

B. B. King: The Letter B | Video

bbknews — Mon, 02 May 2011 00:48:00 GMT

B.B. King’s Bluesville moves to channel 70 on SiriusXM | News

bbknews — Mon, 02 May 2011 00:30:00 GMT

On Wednesday, May 4, SiriusXM is reordering its channels to make it easier to find the programming you like. As a result, B.B. King’s Bluesville, the home of authentic blues from the past to the present, will move to channel 70 on both Sirius and XM. For more information, visit www.siriusxm.com/channelupdate

Australia Tour Announced | News

bbknews — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 16:23:00 GMT

His reign as King of the Blues has been as long as that of any monarch on earth, and today we're thrilled to announce that B.B. King will be making his long awaited return to Australia in April 2011. Already announced for Byron Bay's Bluesfest, he'll also be playing shows in Sydney & Melbourne!

Why B.B. King's Guitar is named Lucille | Video

bbknews — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 17:59:00 GMT

B.B. King to perform at the National Christmas Tree Lighting | News

bbknews — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 17:12:00 GMT

Watch B.B. King, Sara Bareilles and Maroon 5 perform live at the National Christmas Tree Lighting on December 9th at 5pm ET. The National Christmas Tree Lighting 2010 will be broadcast on PBS across the country.

» www.thenationaltree.org

B.B. King and Lucille: A Love Story | News

bbknews — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 10:13:00 GMT

Perhaps no other musical partnership has a history as long as that of the blues legend B.B. King and his beloved guitar named “Lucille.” Today the Gibson B.B. King Lucille model is a gorgeous ebony queen with gold hardware bearing King’s name on its headstock. But over the years there have been many Lucilles, including an actual woman whose name King took for his guitar... READ MORE

» www.gibson.com

B.B. King to perform at Nelson Mandela Day 2010 Madrid Spain | News

bbknews — Fri, 21 May 2010 07:32:00 GMT

Nelson Mandela Day 2010 Madrid is delighted to announce that B.B. King has agreed to perform a free concert in honour of Nelson Mandela on June 2nd.

B.B. King is without doubt one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time, and this will be a unique occasion to see him on stage. Access to the show, conceived as an invitation, is free. The show will also count on the presence of many celebrities supporters of Nelson Mandela Day 2010.

Madrid Nelson Mandela Day was born following huge international success of the celebration of Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday in London in 2008. The following year the inaugural international Mandela Day celebrations took place in New York, again with the same success. Now Madrid has been chosen to host the first and official Nelson Mandela’s International Day in 2010, following the UN resolution last November that declared July 18 as the International Day of Nelson Mandela.

For more information on Nelson Mandela Day please visit http://www.mandeladay.com

SIRIUS|XM FREE 30-DAY PASS | News

BBK — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:17:00 GMT

SIRIUS|XM gives you the best sports, news, talk, entertainment and commercial-free music, including B.B. King’s Bluesville – the home of authentic blues from the past to the present. Everything worth listening to is on SIRIUS|XM.

Get a FREE* 30-Day Trial of SIRIUS|XM.

Click Here To Start Your FREE* Trial Now.

B.B. King Live with the Rolling Stones | News

BBK — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:04:00 GMT

40 years ago, B.B. King opened for the Rolling Stones at their Nov. 28/29 shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City. And now for the first time ever, you can hear his amazing performance on the 40th Anniversary edition of the Rolling Stones' Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out album. Check it out on iTunes now!

B.B. King continues roadwork, some with Buddy Guy | News

BBK — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:34:00 GMT

B.B. King isn't letting his recent 84th birthday slow him down as he plots an extensive fall and winter itinerary featuring a mixture of solo shows and co-headlining dates with Buddy Guy.

The legendary bluesman returns to the stage Nov. 10 in Portland, OR, working his way along the West Coast through early December. Following a New Year's Eve (12/31) performance in Tulsa, OK, King will be hitting the road with Buddy Guy for a theater run that currently spans 13 cities. The full schedule can be found by clicking the TOUR tab at the top of this page.

King, a 14-time Grammy winner, scored the highest-debuting solo album of his nearly 60-year career with his latest release, "One Kind Favor." The set, which surfaced in August of last year, debuted at No. 37 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Produced by T Bone Burnett (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Roy Orbison), "One Kind Favor" features covers of old blues songs that inspired King as a young man, and was made to sound like it was recorded in the '50s. Players include Dr. John on piano, Nathan East on standup bass and Jim Keltner on drums.

A 14-track live set entitled "B.B. King Live at the BBC" surfaced in March.

After more than 60 years in the music business, King still takes his stage appearance seriously, thanks in large part to a piece of advice given to him by his second cousin, fellow blues musician Bukka White.

"If you want to be a good blues singer, people are going to be down on you, so dress like you're going to the bank to borrow money," King revealed in a recent interview with the UK's Telegraph.

BB King interview: the last of the great bluesmen | News

BBK — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:28:00 GMT

B.B. King sits back on the tan leather banquette, legs splayed, plump fingers resting on his knee, diamond rings sparkling under the light. 'There’s no hurry,’ he says. --- READ MORE

» www.telegraph.co.uk

B.B. King to present award named in his honor | News

BBK — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 11:34:00 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — B.B. King will present an award named in his honor during the 30th annual Blues Music Awards in Memphis next month.

The Blues Foundation announced King’s participation this week. The awards show will be May 7, 2009 at Cook Convention Center.

Nominees for the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award are Janiva Magness, Bill "Watermelon Slim" Homans, Bobby Rush, Lil’ Ed Williams, and Morris "Magic Slim" Holt.

King won the show’s top prize a record eight times. In 2006, his name was retired from consideration and the award renamed in his honor.

King is nominated this year in the Traditional Blues Album and Traditional Blues Male Artist categories.

He’s not scheduled to perform at the show.

For ticket information or more details, visit the The Blues Foundation at http://www.blues.org/

BB King Signed Gibson "Lucille" Guitar Giveaway | News

IGA — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:05:00 GMT

For a limited time, LiveDaily is giving away a signed BB King Gibson "Lucille" guitar!

Enter now for your chance to own a piece of history!

» livedaily.com

BB King’s Celebrated ‘One Kind Favor’ CD | News

Geffen — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:38:00 GMT

BB King’s Celebrated ‘One Kind Favor’ Available Now

Rolling Stone says "This isn't just B.B. King's best album in years, it's one of the strongest studio sets of his career, standing alongside classics such as Singin' the Blues and Lucille. Where those early titles highlighted his youthful, wailing vocals and stinging guitar, this one plays to King's current strengths: the tear-stained vibrato of his mature voice, punctuated by raunchy licks."

Purchase your copy today at the B.B. King Blues Store - Click here

NBC 'Chime In' Campaign | News

BBK — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:18:00 GMT

B.B. KING, CLINT BLACK, THE B-52S, RICHIE SAMBORA, THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT, THE FLAMING LIPS AND T.I. ADD THEIR MUSICAL TALENTS AND STAR POWER TO NBC'S 'CHIME IN' PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN
Published: October 27, 2008

NBC Asks Viewers to 'Chime In' At NBC.com For A Chance To Have Their Chiming Talents Featured On-Air

BURBANK, Calif. - October 27, 2008 – NBC announced today that musical super-stars including B.B. King, Clint Black, The B-52s, Richie Sambora, The Airborne Toxic Event, The Flaming Lips and T.I. will join the stars of NBC in the network's ongoing CHIME IN campaign. The musicians will autograph the chimes with their own personal style -- from B.B. King playing guitar, to Richie Sambora rocking, to The B-52s grooving -- the promos will excite, entertain and inform viewers. The announcement was made today by John Miller, Chief Marketing Officer, NBC Universal Television Group and President, The NBC Agency and Adam Stotsky, President, NBC Entertainment Marketing.

"The NBC chimes are arguably the most recognized audio signature around," said Miller. "We are going back to our roots with this campaign and now we're bringing today's hottest artists with us and asking them to chime in."

"We're excited to have top musician, from across all genres, adding their signature style to the campaign and celebrating a 75-year-old icon in 21st century fashion," added Stotsky.

In addition to being informed and entertained, viewers will also have the chance to CHIME IN by logging on to NBC.com to express their thoughts and opinions. In the spirit of the campaign, viewers have the opportunity to share their ideas with one another by responding to polls, posting comments, joining conversations on the message boards or creating personal profiles with their own blogs, photos, video galleries and more. Additionally, beginning next year, viewers will have the opportunity to send in their own rendition of CHIME IN for a chance to have their chiming talents featured on NBC.

About CHIME IN

The G-E-C notes have been an audio icon for NBC over the past 75 years, since the days when it was only a radio signal. Throughout the years, the chimes have been used by stars, from Jerry Seinfeld to Bill Cosby, but never before in such an all-encompassing campaign. The CHIME IN campaign began nearly two years ago when each on-air promo was branded with the Peacock logo. In January 2008, the chimes were added to all promos and the overall effort took on the name CHIME IN -- gaining worldwide exposure throughout NBC's Olympic coverage. NBC stars have championed the CHIME IN mantra and added their own personality and style like never before. From Masi Oka and Greg Grunberg beat-boxing to Jenna Fischer singing, talent are chiming in. They are now the voice of the network, introducing programming line-ups, sharing what is coming up next and putting their own signature on the chimes. The willingness of today's hottest musical talent to embrace the chimes and infuse them with their own signature style illustrates the reach and impact of the three musical notes. Their star-power takes this branding campaign to a new level of excitement. Additionally, as the campaign continues to grow, the network looks forward to potential advertiser tie-ins or involvement -- giving advertisers a chance to CHIME IN.

COUNTDOWN TO MUSIC'S BIGGEST NIGHT®! | News

Geffen — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:03:00 GMT

CELINE DION, FOO FIGHTERS, B.B. KING, JOHN MAYER AND TAYLOR SWIFT SET TO PERFORM ON "THE GRAMMY NOMINATIONS CONCERT LIVE!! — COUNTDOWN TO MUSIC'S BIGGEST NIGHT^®"

New One-Hour Entertainment Special — Announcing Nominations for the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards and Celebrating the Grand Opening of the GRAMMY Museum — Airs Dec. 3 Live on CBS from NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Oct. 22, 2008) — Five-time GRAMMY^® winner Celine Dion, six-time GRAMMY winners the Foo Fighters, 14-time GRAMMY winner B.B. King, five-time GRAMMY winner John Mayer, and 50th GRAMMY nominee Taylor Swift are the first performers announced for "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music's Biggest Night^®." The one-hour special — which also will celebrate the grand opening of the GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE — takes place live on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE, and will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 Surround Sound on the CBS Television Network from 9 – 10 p.m. ET/PT. Additional performers and presenters will be announced shortly. Tickets to the live event will be available for sale to the public beginning Oct. 27, and proceeds will benefit the GRAMMY Museum.

"The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music's Biggest Night" will announce nominations in at least six categories, feature performances by past GRAMMY winners and nominees, and will set the stage for the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 8, 2009. The special also marks the first time nominations for the annual GRAMMY Awards will be announced live on primetime television. Following the one-hour live telecast, guests will experience a one-hour exclusive concert by one of the evening's performers in celebration of the grand opening of the GRAMMY Museum. Tickets to "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music's Biggest Night" will go on sale to the public on Mon., Oct. 27, at all Ticketmaster outlets, via phone at 213.480.3232, or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

"The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music's Biggest Night" is produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC and John Cossette Productions. John Cossette and Ken Ehrlich are the executive producers.

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy^® is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. In its 50th year, The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.

One Kind Favor (Grammy Award Winning CD) | Albums

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Grammy Award Winning CD for Best Traditional Blues Album

The full track listing for One Kind Favor (original artist in parenthesis):
"See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" (Lemon Jefferson)
"I Get So Weary" (T-Bone Walker)
"Get These Blues Off Me" (Lee Vida Walker)
"How Many More Years" (Chester Burnett)
"Waiting For Your Call" (Oscar Lollie)
"My Love Is Down" (Lonnie Johnson)
"The World Is Gone Wrong" (Walter Vinson, also known as Walter Jacobs, and Lonnie Chatmon, core members of the Mississippi Sheiks)
"Blues Before Sunrise" (John Lee Hooker)
"Midnight Blues" (John Willie "Shifty" Henry)
"Backwater Blues" (Big Bill Broonzy)
"Sitting On Top Of The World" (Walter Vinson and Lonnie Chatmon)
"Tomorrow Night" (Lonnie Johnson)

Buy
B.B. King Blues Store
Amazon MP3
iTunes

B.B. King & Lucille (2008) | Photo

BBK — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 12:57:00 GMT

B.B. King & Lucille (2008)

B.B. King is set to release a new album - "One Kind Favor" Features Classic Blues Songs | News

Geffen — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:58:00 GMT

Santa Monica, California, July 22, 2008 – The King of the Blues is set to release a new album featuring covers of old blues songs from B.B. King’s early influences. With production by T Bone Burnett (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Roy Orbison, Elvis Costello) the set revisits the music that influenced B.B. in the 1950s, the beginning of King’s extraordinary professional journey that, literally, changed the texture of modern blues playing. One Kind Favor will be released on Geffen Records August 26^th.

Recorded at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles, CA One Kind Favor is meant to sound like an album recorded in the 50s. To get this sound Burnett and King replicated the kind of blues band King had back in the day bringing in some of the greats – Dr. John on piano, Nathan East on stand up acoustic bass and Jim Keltner on drums, to name a few. Studio conditions of the time were reproduced. The result is a vintage sounding album filled with the songs that influenced King in his early days as an artist.

The full track listing for One Kind Favor, along with the name of the artist who originally recorded the track, is:” See That My Grave Is Kept Clean” (Lemon Jefferson), “I Get So Weary” (T-Bone Walker), “Get These Blues Off Me” (Lee Vida Walker), “How Many More Years” (Chester Burnett), “Waiting For Your Call” (Oscar Lollie), “My Love Is Down” (Lonnie Johnson), “The World Is Gone Wrong” ( Walter Vinson, also known as Walter Jacobs, and Lonnie Chatmon, core members of the Mississippi Sheiks), “Blues Before Sunrise” (John Lee Hooker), “Midnight Blues” (John Willie “Shifty” Henry), “Backwater Blues” (Big Bill Broonzy), “Sitting On Top Of The World” (Walter Vinson and Lonnie Chatmon) and “Tomorrow Night” (Lonnie Johnson).

In other B.B. news, on September 13^th King– one of the few musicians in the world to be so honored – will preside at the opening of the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in his hometown of Indianola, MS. Also in September B.B. King will begin hosting his own weekly radio show on XM Radio on their newly relaunched blues channel “BB Kings Bluesville” (XM 74).

For more than 60 years, Riley B. King - better known as B.B. King - has defined the blues for a worldwide audience. Since he started recording in the 1940s, he has released over 50 albums, many of them classics, won 14 Grammy® Awards, been inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of the Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors, the Grammy® Lifetime Achievement Award and the NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) Chairman’s Award, among many other awards. In a special ceremony at the Library of Congress, Librarian of Congress, James H. Billington presented B.B. with a “Living Legend” medal in honor of his achievements as a musician and ambassador for the blues. After 10,000 concerts, B.B. King continues to bring his music to audiences around the globe spending the better part of each year on the road with his beloved guitar, “Lucille.”

Playlist Plus | Albums

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Product Details

Audio CD (April 29, 2008)
Original Release Date: April 29, 2008
Number of Discs: 3
Format: Original recording remastered
Label: Geffen Records

Disc 1

1. Sneakin' Around
2. How Blue Can You Get?
3. Help The Poor
4. Never Trust A Woman
5. Everyday I Have The Blues
6. Sweet Little Angel
7. Please Love Me
8. All Over Again
9. Don't Answer The Door
10. Gambler's Blues
11. Tired Of Your Jive
12. Sweet Sixteen, Parts 1 & 2
13. Paying The Cost To Be The Boss
14. Lucille

Disc 2

1. Watch Yourself
2. Why I Sing The Blues
3. So Excited
4. The Thrill Is Gone
5. Hummingbird
6. Chains And Things
7. Nobody Loves Me But My Mother
8. Ghetto Woman
9. Ain't Nobody Home
10. I Got Some Help I Don't Need

Disc 3

1. Guess Who
2. I Like To Live The Love
3. To Know You Is To Love You
4. Let The Good Times Roll
5. When It All Comes Down (I'll Still Be Around)
6. Never Make A Move Too Soon
7. Better Not Look Down
8. Caldonia
9. There Must Be A Better World Somewhere
10. When Love Comes To Town
11. I'll Survive
12. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't (My Baby)

Buy
B.B. King Blues Store

The B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center | News

BBK — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:23:00 GMT

B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center
Grand Opening Announced for September 13, 2008

He started life as Riley B. King in one of America’s most
impoverished places, the Mississippi Delta. He had little
but the dream in his heart and a destiny that would take
him around the world. Now he’s an international music
icon, and music lovers everywhere want to know more
about the man who became B.B. King.

From the flat Delta landscape, a tribute to the past and
a celebration of the future is emerging. The B.B. King
Museum and Delta Interpretive Center will tell the story of
King’s life, his career, and stories of the Delta—its history
and music, social mores and race relations, literature and
legends, adversities and successes.

Mark your calendars now for SEPTEMBER 13, 2008, and
join us for the grand opening of the B.B. King Museum
and Delta Interpretive Center.

You’ll find the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive
Center in B.B.’s hometown. Indianola sits squarely in the
middle of the Mississippi Delta, the land that gave birth
to American music.

For More Details, Visit The Museum's website http://www.bbkingmuseum.org/

NEW LIVE! CD and DVD from Blues great B.B. King | News

BBK — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:10:00 GMT

It has been estimated that blues great B.B. King has played more than 10,000 shows in a career spanning nearly 60 years. Whenever the King of the Blues has carried his venerable guitar Lucille onto any stage at any time, the performance has become an unforgettable classic--and on occasion has been immortalized on some of the greatest live albums ever issued. Yet in 2006, he marked a first when he recorded a live album at two of his own clubs, B.B. King's Blues Club in Nashville, Tennessee on October 26/27 and in Memphis on October 29/30. The best of these memorable concerts are now presented in both the DVD and CD formats as LIVE! (Geffen/UMe), released February 19, 2008.

For the two-hour-plus DVD, the concerts were taped in high definition video and mixed in 5.1 Surround. Bonus material includes a behind-the-scenes “making of” feature and a special message from King to his fans. To fit on a single CD, the audio disc features 12 of the DVD’s 18 songs.

On LIVE!, backed by his remarkable touring band, B.B. lays down quintessential performances from his signature tune “The Thrill Is Gone” to “When Love Comes To Town,” the song that introduced him to a new generation in the late 1980s, to Big Bill Broonzy’s “Key To The Highway,” for which he teamed with disciple Eric Clapton in 2000. He also performs a pair of songs he has never before recorded--the standards “You Are My Sunshine” and “When The Saints Go Marching In.”

B.B.’s band opens the show on the DVD sans King with “Manhattan Blues” and “Two I Shoot.” During the concert, the musical icon revives his ‘50s and ‘60s R&B hits “Rock Me Baby,” “Don’t Answer The Door” and “Why I Sing The Blues” plus other B.B. gems from that era such as “A Whole Lot Of Lovin’,” “Ain’t That Just Like A Woman,” “Bad Case Of Love,” “I Need You So,” “Darling, You Know I Love You” and “All Over Again.” Along with the early ‘70s hit “Guess Who” is “Blues Man” from the late ‘90s.

King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, becoming one of the first artists so honored. In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked him #3 among the “100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time.” In 2006, he was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest honor awarded to a civilian; his 1964 album Live At The Regal was voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame; and he won his 14th Grammy Award, for Best Traditional Blues Album for B.B. King & Friends: 80, which celebrated his 80th birthday the previous year. He has won eight previous Grammys in that category and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. “The Thrill Is Gone” is also in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Whether live at the Regal, San Quentin, the Apollo, or a B.B. King’s Blues Club, B.B. King rules over the blues.

SPECIAL COMBO DEAL AVAILABLE ONLY AT THE B.B. KING BLUES STORE!

ORDER your new CD and DVD today from the B.B. King Blues Store.

» www.bbkingstore.com

B.B. King Talks With Greta Van Susteren | News

BBK — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:02:00 GMT

Greta Van Susteren from FOX news interviewed B.B. King. Below is a transcript of the interview.
You can see the video at this link

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST: Who doesn't know this man, the king of blues, B.B. King? But now you will really get to know him.

He is 82 years old and has been performing for more than 50 years, with 15 Grammys under his belt. And tonight you will get an inside look at him.

B.B. King is releasing a new CD entitled "Live," and you get to join him in my home town and Appleton, Wisconsin behind the scenes of his concert, and even inside his tour bus.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VAN SUSTEREN: How many concerts a year do you do?

B.B. KING, MUSICIAN: Now we have cut down quite a bit. I'm 82 years old now, so I've stopped doing — we used to average, until last year, I believe, about 250 concerts per year. This year I'll probably do about 100.

VAN SUSTEREN: Is it work for you, or is it fun?

RelatedColumn Archive
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Show Info
Airs Weekdays at 10 p.m. ET
E-mail the Show: ontherecord@foxnews.com Greta Van Susteren's Bio Read the GretaWire Interview Archive Greta's Pod Cast KING: Both. It's both.

VAN SUSTEREN: Who gave you your first guitar?

KING: No one.

VAN SUSTEREN: Where did you get it?

KING: Bought it from a guy that lived not too far from Mike Boston, the man I worked for. And he had this little red Stella guitar, and he said he would sell it because I went nuts when I saw it. I was making $15 a month then.

VAN SUSTEREN: Doing what?

KING: Being what they call a house boy — everything; anything that needed to be done around the house. Chores was picking up chips to make fire and milking cows. I milked 20 cows a day. As I said, I was making $15 a month then, I asked my boss would he buy it for me and take out half of it the first month and half the next. So he did, and that is how I got my first guitar.

VAN SUSTEREN: So you picked it up, and were you just a natural?

KING: I would sit on the street corners in my hometown of Indianola, Mississippi, and I would play. And, generally, I would start playing gospel songs. People would come by on the street — you live in time square, you know how they do it — they would bunch up. And they would always compliment me on gospel tunes, but they would tip me when I played blues.

Now you know why I'm a blues singer.

VAN SUSTEREN: Well, everyone knows who Lucille, your guitar. Why is your guitar named "Lucille"?

KING: I used to play — when I first started trying to be professional, I disk jockey from 1949 to 1955 in Memphis, Tennessee, and I was quite popular there as a disk jockey.

And I could go over at a place called Twist, Arkansas — it's still there — and a guy had a nightclub over there. I would do, as they say in Las Vegas today, forward. In other words, you go play and he doesn't guarantee you anything, but if you're lucky and you have quite a few people come in, you get most of the money that comes in through the doors. So you may make yourself 50 dollars, 60 dollars, 100 dollars, maybe.

And it would get quite cold there in Twist, Arkansas, so they would take a something like a big garbage pail — picture a big pail — set it in the middle of the dance floor and half fill it with kerosene. They would light that kerosene, and that's what we used for heat.

Today, if somebody did that, I would start running out of here. But when you're young, like you guys, you are daring and do anything.

So this particular night, two guys start to fight. One knocked the other one over on this container. And when they did it spilled on the floor. It was already burning so it looked like a river of fire. Everyone started to run for the front door to get out, including B.B. King.

But when I got out, I realized that I left my guitar. It wasn't the same little red guitar; this was another one. And I went back for it.

And when I went back to get my guitar — the building was a wooden building burning rapidly, so it started to fall in around me and I almost lost my life trying to save it.

The next morning we found that these two guys that were fighting were fighting about a lady that worked in the little nightclub. I never did meet her, but I learned that her name was Lucille. I named the guitar Lucille to remind me not to do a thing like that again. That's how it came about.

VAN SUSTEREN: Is there an original Lucille and there have been subsequent Lucilles?

KING: The original Lucille, I would pay $100,000 to get it back.

VAN SUSTEREN: Where is the original Lucille?

KING: If I knew I would get it.

VAN SUSTEREN: When was the last time you saw the original Lucille?

KING: In Brooklyn. I went up to visit a friend one night and left it in the trunk of my car. That year most of General Motors' cars, the trunk key would fit, but I didn't know it until that night.

Somebody went down and went in my trunk — I had an Oldsmobile, and they went into the Oldsmobile trunk of the car — took my guitar, the amplifier, and the battery out. That's the last time I have seen her.

And I would give $100000 for that original if I could get it back. I put out—I offered rewards: $5000, $10000 and so on.

I guess whoever got it never knew what they was getting because my name wasn't on that one. Nobody has ever came up with it.

VAN SUSTEREN: How many CDs or albums have you done?

KING: I have to be honest with you, I really don't know. But the last time I tried to count, I think it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 90 CDs and LPs combined; but singles, it's over 500.

VAN SUSTEREN: You have a new one that just came out.

KING: Yes.

VAN SUSTEREN: That's what I want people to know about. And that's a live concert?

KING: It is live. I was trying my best to show the people that don't know me or know how I perform what I do on stage, I was trying to give them a little bit of a lesson of what I do and how I do it when I'm playing concerts.

And I think I did pretty good. Maybe I talk too much on it, but I think it's pretty good.

VAN SUSTEREN: Which song do you think the audience wants to hear every night?

KING: "The Thrill is Gone."

VAN SUSTEREN: Do you enjoy playing that as much as everyone wants to hear it?

KING: I will tell you a little secret and you better not tell it.

VAN SUSTEREN: We won't tell anybody, don't worry. It's just between us.

KING: OK, it's just between us: I play it every night as I feel it every night, not as I recorded it when I first recorded it. I play it every night as I feel it then, so it's fresh, it's always fresh.

So no, I never get tired of playing it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

B.B. King Live | Albums

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Tracks
1. Mr. King comes on stage
2. Why I Sing the Blues
3. I Need You So
4. Bad Case of Love
5. Bluesman
6. When Love Comes to Town
7. All Over Again
8. You Are My Sunshine
9. Rock Me Baby
10. Key to the Highway
11. Thrill is Gone
12. When The Saints Go Marching In

Buy
B.B. King Blues Store

Live At The BBC CD | News

BBK — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:02:00 GMT

B.B. King is universally recognized as the leading exponent of modern blues. A fourteen-time Grammy winner, he has received virtually every music award, including the Grammy for Lifetime Achievement in 1987. He is one of the greatest, most influential blues guitar stylists, composers and singers of the 20th century and is without a doubt the single most important electric guitarist of the last half century, ranked 3rd in Rolling Stones Magazine’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

This wonderful collection compiles the best of B.B. King’s recordings onto one CD for the very first time and includes some of his biggest hits such as Paying the Cost to Be the Boss and The Thrill Is Gone as well as When Love Comes To Town, the duet with U2 that took him to the top of the UK charts and gave him his first MTV exposure.

Featuring highlights from his 3 finest UK performances alongside a session recording made in the BBC’s studios, this CD offers an incredible snapshot of an artist at the peak of his career performing some of his greatest material.

Track List:

1. Caldonia   14/10/78
2. I Like The Life 14/10/78
3. When The Evening Sun Goes Down 14/10/78
4. When It All Comes Down  14/10/78
5. The Thrill Is Gone   14/10/78
6. I’m Gonna Move Out of My Neighbourhood  4/7/91
7. When Love Comes To Town 4/7/91
8. Let The Good Times Roll 4/7/91
9. Stormy Monday Blues  4/7/91
10. Ain’t Nobody Home  4/7/91
11. Mistreated  4/7/91
12. How Blue Can You Get  4/7/91
13. Paying The Cost To Be The Boss  30/3/89
14. The Thrill Is Gone  30/3/89

Official UK Release date is Feb 25 2008. Preorder your copy today!

B.B. King to play at Bonnaroo 2008 | News

BBK — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:02:00 GMT

Superfly Productions and A.C. Entertainment are proud to announce the initial lineup for the 2008 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The seventh annual four-day camping and music festival will be held on June 12-15 on the same beautiful 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville. A full list of confirmed acts follows, and more will be announced in the coming weeks. The final Bonnaroo 2008 lineup will total over 100 bands and over 20 comedians performing on 13 stages over four days.

Tickets go on sale exclusively through www.bonnaroo.com on Saturday, February 16 at 12:00 PM EDT.

2008 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival Confirmed Artists:

Pearl Jam
Metallica
Jack Johnson
Kanye West
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Featuring T Bone Burnett
Phil Lesh & Friends
My Morning Jacket
The Allman Brothers Band
The Raconteurs
Willie Nelson
Death Cab for Cutie
B.B. King
Sigur Ros
Levon Helm and the Ramble on the Road
Ben Folds
O.A.R.
The Bluegrass Allstars Feat. Luke Bulla, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Bryan Sutton
M.I.A.
Umphrey's McGee
Iron & Wine
Yonder Mountain String Band
The Swell Season
Talib Kweli
Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi’s Soul Stew Revival
Gogol Bordello
Broken Social Scene
Robert Randolph’s Revival
Rilo Kiley
Mastodon
Lupe Fiasco
Against Me!
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
Pat Green
Ozomatli
Tegan & Sara
Solomon Burke
Drive-By Truckers
!!!
The Avett Brothers
Israel Vibration
Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet featuring Bela Fleck
Phil Lesh / Larry Campbell / Jackie Greene
Aimee Mann
Ladytron
The Fiery Furnaces
Orchestra Baobab
Ghostland Observatory
Jose Gonzalez
Dark Star Orchestra
Minus the Bear
Donavon Frankenreiter
Lez Zeppelin
State Radio
Battles
Jakob Dylan
Two Gallants
The Sword
Vampire Weekend
Little Feat
Nicole Atkins
The Felice Brothers
Mason Jennings
MGMT
The Lee Boys
Black Kids
Serena Ryder
Steel Train
Grupo Fantasma
Back Door Slam

Bonnaroo Comedy:
Bonnaroo Late Night Chat About with David Cross
Janeane Garofalo
Zach Galifianakis
Jim Norton
Brian Posehn
Mike Birbiglia
John Mulaney
Michelle Buteau

More artists to be announced!

B.B King Live! | Photo

BBK — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:07:00 GMT

B.B. King to be honored by NARM | News

BBK — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 21:28:00 GMT

BB King to be Honored by NARM

01/08/2008

Blues icon B.B. King, an American treasure who has recorded 150 albums and accepted 14 GRAMMY Awards, will receive the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) Chairman’s Award For Sustained Creative Achievement during the organization’s 50th Annual Convention, which will be held May 4 through May 7 at the San Francisco Marriott. King will accept his Award during the 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner, which will be Wednesday, May 7.

“NARM’s membership — on whose behalf we bestow this prestigious Award — applauds King’s amazing career and the way he has inspired and influenced so many musicians over the years,” said NARM President Jim Donio. “Today King is more popular, more cherished and more relevant than ever. At the age of 82, he is still out on the road, playing for the people, making TV appearances, and cutting tracks for his next album. We are honored to have B.B. King join us as part of NARM’s 50th Anniversary celebration.”

King will become a member of an exclusive and exceptionally talented club of artists who have received the NARM Chairman’s Award. Past recipients include Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Stevie Wonder, The Bee Gees, Smokey Robinson, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Leonard Bernstein, Nat King Cole, Rod Stewart, Garth Brooks, Lena Horne, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers, Liza Minnelli, Carlos Santana, Quincy Jones, Kool & The Gang, and Chicago.
Over his 60-plus year career, King has developed one of the world’s most identifiable guitar styles. King’s sound is his signature, integrating his precise and complex vocal-like string blends and his left hand vibrato, both of which have become indispensable components of Rock guitar vocabulary.

He is still light on his feet, singing and playing the Blues with relentless passion. And, he has no plans for slowing down. Bowing February 19, 2008, is a new “B.B King Live In Tennessee” CD/DVD (Geffen/UMe) a live concert event recorded at his namesake clubs in both Nashville and Memphis.
He also just finished recording his 150th album that’s expected to debut in September 2008. Also set to open in September is a museum in King’s honor that is being built in his home state of Mississippi. A decade in the making, the museum is partially located within an existing abandoned cotton gin, Mississippi’s last one, where as a youngster, King once worked.

Holiday Wishes | News

BBK — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:27:00 GMT

To all my friends and fans---Season’s Greetings to all of you and thanks for making 2007 such a great year for me and my musical family—2008 promises to be even more eventful, so—as they say in radio—stay tuned! To all of you, I extend my warmest, personal wishes for a Happy New Year—may God bless us all with good health and happiness in the coming year!

Crossroads Guitar Festival DVD | News

BBK — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:10:00 GMT

The second staging of guitar hero and rock legend Eric Clapton's CROSSROADS GUITAR FESTIVAL found a sweet home in the Second City on July 28, 2007 when many of the world's greatest guitarists convened for a concert benefiting Clapton's Crossroads Centre rehabilitation facility in Antigua. Filmed live at Chicago's Toyota Park, the 2-DVD set CROSSROADS GUITAR FESTIVAL 2007 FROM CHICAGO presents four hours of world-class guitar masters, spanning multiple genre boundaries, performing incendiary solo sets and jamming in unison.

The 2007 festival, which Rolling Stone called “a marathon of solos and joy,” no doubt was the stuff of dreams for the fans in attendance as well as for Clapton and friends. The Festival featured a multi-generational array of talent spanning John Mayer to Jeff Beck to B.B. King that Modern Guitars Magazine dubbed an “incredible nexus of old-school electric guitar titans and younger upstarts.”

Shot in HD, the double-DVD set features 38 tracks, and also gives viewers an all-access pass with extraordinary behind-the-scenes footage captured backstage at this all-star, six-string summit. The audio is presented in 5.1 Surround Sound.

Buy the DVD Now