Blues Legend B.B. King (1925-2015)
B.B. King, whose stinging vibrato and aching, soulful vocals graced stages around the world for over seven decades, passed away after a brief illness. He was 89.
B.B King was the bridge between the blues that was born in the Delta soil and the electric blues that emerged out of Chicago during the Great Migration of the 40s and 50s. Whether it was on stage or in the studio, the music of B.B. King hit you in the gut, pierced your heart and touched your soul. It was street, it was real, but there was still an air of class and sophistication to it. It was best evidenced in ‘The Thrill Is Gone’, where B.B. and Lucille are pouring out their guts, but the strings riding underneath are soothing and reassuring. It’s a blues opera and its magnificent.
While it’s impossible to calculate B.B. King’s impact on the musical landscape, here’s one way to start: B.B. King’s first hit was in 1952. Every major guitarist to emerge since then is either doing a variation of his tone or channeling his sound. Chuck Berry, Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Mike Bloomfield, Ernie Isley, Richie Blackmore, Tony Iomni, Eddie Hazel, Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhodes, right down to Gary Clark, Jr, they are all tapping into B.B. King’s musical DNA. With a vibrato that rang like a bell and wailed like a baby, one string bending note from his hand could reduce you to mist. That tone – that warm, voice-like tone – has been emulated for decades, but one thing was sure: The moment you heard it, you knew it was B.B. King.
B.B. King was the blues greatest ambassador because he was not afraid to take the music to uncharted waters. He performed for Presidents, but he also performed in prisons. Soap operas to Sesame Street. B.B. King has shared stages with artists ranging from Luciano Pavarotti to Miles Davis but also has done countless vocal and guitar clinics to aspiring musicians. He LIVED for performing, still logging in a regular touring schedule when most musicians his age stopped called it a career. At his touring peak, B.B. King did 342 one-nighters, something was hard to do then, and no one will even try to attempt now. By the end of 2014, after 64 years on the road, B.B. King had logged in over 15,000 shows. His love for the stage, his love for people, and his warm, generous, open and loving spirit made him B.B. a universal icon.
A king walked among us, bringing with him great music, good times, and much joy. That king has left us, but what he left behind, will live on forever.
Rest easy Mr. King…
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