B.B. King, an appreciation of his contribution to the blues

The only time I saw B.B. King in concert was at a New Jersey venue on a double bill with the equally legendary Buddy Guy. Both bluesmen offered a memorable, lengthy performance

Guy, known for his high-energy playing that sometimes takes him on guitar solos into the audience, opened the evening, followed by the more subdued, but no less effective King. I remember King sitting down and taking the audience into his hands, offering stories from the road and music from the years.

It was magical.

That impressionable night added to my already growing fascination with the blues. I needed to listen to more tracks, not only from King and Guy, but some of the other greats as well. I was a frequent presence at King’s blues club on 42nd Street in New York City, catching some other talent who all seemed honored to be performing beneath his influential name.

When listening to King’s fairly recent album, One Kind Favor, I was struck by the simple power of “Tomorrow Night,” the last but not least song. King’s vocals, stretching almost to the point of time travel, tell a beautiful, lonesome story that will likely touch listeners. The song even references arguably his most famous hit, “The Thrill Is Gone.” The mournfulness of the tune takes on a greater meaning now that the world has heard the news that King has died at the age of 89.

Born Riley B. King, according to the biography on his official website, the musician was “King of the Blues” for years. He was born in Mississippi and eventually found himself in Memphis, the city of the blues. An inductee into multiple halls of fame, King eventually became an icon, with many listeners able to easily recite the name of his guitar (Lucille) and many musicians pointing to him as an influence.

There are so many memorable King tunes over the years, it’s hard to focus on his best. However, a forgotten gem can be found on, of all things, the Blues Brothers 2000 soundtrack. King was part of the Louisiana Gator Boys, joining forces with some other great blues players. Their rendition of “How Blue Can You Get” is a notable listen.

For those blues appreciators who were unable to catch a King concert, it would be perfectly appropriate to honor the man by listening to as much of his catalog as possible. From “How Blue Can You Get” to “Tomorrow Night” to “The Thrill Is Gone,” the man has left an unparalleled legacy worthy of inspection for generations to come.

He already is missed.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com