THE IMMORTAL B.B. KING
Written by Rick Allen, author of F n’ A: My Crazy Life in Rock and Blues
It’s impossible to talk about Mr. Riley “Beale Street Blues Boy” King without thinking about his influence on America’s only original art form. The blues gave birth to jazz, rhythm & blues and rock ’n’ roll. But most kids who become hooked on music through pop & rock don’t know where their music comes from. Many have never heard of B.B. King.
Our daughter, Kelli, a serious fan of heavy metal bands when she was a teenager, had never heard B.B.’s music. So when my wife and I learned that B.B would be playing at the Roxy Theatre in Hollywood on Kelli’s sixteenth birthday, we decided to surprise her. We hoped Kelli would hear B.B’s influence on her beloved rock music. Not that we had anything against rock or R&B; I’d played keyboards for many rock and blues artists, from Delaney & Bonnie to Howlin’ Wolf and Etta James.
Roving spotlights came on and an emcee announced the start of the show, and B.B.’s musicians came on stage. The sax, trumpet and trombone men, all in white tuxedos, took their seats behind music stands emblazoned with B.B.’s initials in reflective letters. The drummer and bass player came next, followed by the piano player who took his seat at the Steinway, and led the band with an instrumental blues shuffle, the horn players trading solos. Blues shuffles are really semi-organized improvised jams, and I had no idea what the band was going to play for B.B.’s opening number. As things turned out, they were jamming the intro to one of his biggest hits, “Every Day I Have the Blues.”
The emcee returned to the microphone and announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. B.B. King!” The unmistakable star walked on stage to thunderous applause and cheers, picked up “Lucille” and began playing his inimitable, one-of-a-kind style of tasty blues licks backed by his band. He knew exactly what notes to play at exactly the right times, and just as important, where to leave open spaces. I doubt that any guitar player phrases better than B.B. King. With his incredible finger vibrato, just one note can have more meaning than a hundred notes from someone else. His hands graced the strings like feathers in the wind.
B.B.’s guitar was plugged into a Fender Twin amp, and from where we were sitting, the volume was nice and loud. Just right. Our daughter’s jaw dropped and her eyes opened wide. When the song came to a power-house ending, she stood straight up and yelled “YES!” knocking over our long table and sending everyone’s drinks to the floor.
After the show, we went backstage to B.B.’s dressing room to meet him personally. By this time, I’d met and worked with many famous artists, but I was honored to meet the great B.B King. I’d been listening to his music since I was about twelve years old, and remember buying his albums at a grocery store with money I earned from my paper route in my hometown of Whittier, California. Mixed in with other artist’s albums on Kent Records, they cost less than a dollar. My favorite songs were “Sweet Little Angel” and “Three O’Clock Blues,” but I loved them all.
I didn’t talk shop with B.B. or mention the bluesmen I’d played with — it was Kelli’s night and we were thrilled just to shake his hand. The perfect gentleman, all puffed up in his glistening red tuxedo jacket, B.B. greeted us like old friends with his familiar smile. An inspiration to countless musicians, not only guitar players, he opened the door for many young musicians to learn and love the blues. I doubt there are any blues/rock musicians anywhere who weren’t influenced by B.B., directly or otherwise. From Stevie Ray Vaughn to Buddy Guy to the cat playing blues piano on Bourbon Street, we’re all indebted to him for being the first musician to popularize the blues throughout the world. Thank you, Mr. King, thanks for helping make the blues immortal. And, our daughter never forgot that night of musical reality. Even at age sixteen, she realized where rock music originated, and is still in love with the blues, (and B.B King) today, even though she’s now a certified grandmother! The world will always miss you, Mr. Blues Boy King!
