Six years ago, I was lucky enough to see B.B. King in New York, on the same bill as Simon & Garfunkel, CSN, Stevie Wonder, and Bruce Springsteen (still one of the most magical nights I’ve ever experienced). I remember taking a recording on my dinky flip phone to share it with my dad later, because he’s the person who got me listening to blues in the first place. Not to mention, the music that B.B. King played directly influenced so many of my favorite artists, which in turn changed rock music for the better.
He was a powerhouse on the road (it doesn’t seem like he ever stopped touring, from the 1950’s up until his death), and even with upwards of 300 shows in a year, injected emotion into every single note he played. Most definitely deserving of the title “King of the Blues”:
The performance we saw in 2009 was just as awesome. B.B. King could fill the room with one guitar, even when the “room” was Madison Square Garden. I’m glad I got to witness it, and sad to see such a legend go.
Flip the Record 