Happy 85th Birthday to BB King

Don B

Today is the legendary BB King's birthday, and at a ripe age of 85, the Beale
Street Blues Boy (or BB) is still performing concerts, albeit not as many as he
once did.

He has played more than 15,000 gigs over nearly 6 decades of playing.
Amazing.

I saw him about ten years ago in the Point, and what a show he put on, with
him putting on a 3 hour show (the whole band had to sit down half way through).
A legend in the blues, and music world.

dasdog

He may not be the most prolific player but *that* sound, feel or whatever you want to call it, you always know it's him playing as soon as you hear one note. I saw him around 1992 and I thought it was great he was still going then.

I got a copy of this gig recently. The funk/soul reflects the year (1974 - from The Rumble in the Jungle)...the band could be playing with Elvis in Vegas from the same era. It's a little off topic but John Lee Hooker was doing blues/funk/soul too then.

85 years young, fantastic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b59Zh7I-ZZ8

Don B

Absolutely, he isn't the most technical blues player, but he has a signature
sound that's more recognisable than anyone nearly. :cool:

jazzme

Hail to the King !!!!!:)

topper75

A little late - but happy 85th BB!

had a great time at the Beale St. club back in June.

oppenheimer1

i thought he was dead a long time ago :eek:

Auvers

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

i thought he was dead a long time ago :eek:

go back to your hovel Toll :cool:


One Ring to BB

One to Albert

And one to Freddie

And one to unite them

To The Dark Lord we pledge them all

MUDDY WATERS be thy name

Svetti Arss

Seen him play in Wembly a few years back. Seriously good guitar player.

Best concert I have ever heard of him was recorded in a stateside prison and broadcast in the 80's on Irish tv. I recorded the concert from tv but lost the tape years later and have never been able to track down the recording. Happy BDBB

PCPhoto

seen him play at the hollywood bowl in LA in 2007..... only problem was I was jetlagged and fell asleep - everyone else said it was a great gig.

bdr529

can anyone remember what year BB King played the free open air gig in college green? I think it was '88 or '89....

Three Sheets

After 85 years I wonder if the thrill has come back.

SanoVitae

bdr529 wrote: »

can anyone remember what year BB King played the free open air gig in college green? I think it was '88 or '89....

I was at that! I think it either 89 or 90 - anyone else know?

Buddy Guy also played a year later if I remember correctly - he was fantastic and had the crowd in the palm of his hands.

topper75

Buddy Guy played in '96. Robert Cray was in '95. Of those dates I am sure.

I think Buddy's show was part of the final Blues festival (:().

win2one

The BB King gig in College Green was Friday July 22nd 1994 ( I have the poster)

The "jail" concert was probably Live at Cook County Jail.

Rock N Blues

win2one wrote: »

The BB King gig in College Green was Friday July 22nd 1994 ( I have the poster)

The "jail" concert was probably Live at Cook County Jail.

I was there too, is that poster for sale I wonder?

win2one

If you mean my poster ,no sorry. I picked mine up at the time in one of the pubs 3 days of blues n booze !

Hermy

topper75 wrote: »

Buddy Guy played in '96. Robert Cray was in '95. Of those dates I am sure.

I think Buddy's show was part of the final Blues festival (:().

Great memories - a sad loss to the City!
I think I remember Al Green performing there too.
And does anyone remember Sherman Robertson?
I remember him having an amazing keyboard player with him at the time.

win2one

Memories !!
Sadly Al Green did not play there...........
Rory Gallagher was first
BB King
Robert Cray
Sherman Robertson
Buddy Guy

Apart from the College Green gigs I remember Otis Rush, Larry Garner, Screamin Jay Hawkins, Honeyboy Edwards, Homesick James, John Mayall being some of the other headliners.
At least theres still the Monaghan festival

Hermy

win2one wrote: »

Memories !!
Sadly Al Green did not play there...........

Are you sure? I remember a guest vocalist doing a few numbers at the start of one of the gigs whom I took to be Al Green. Any idea who it might have been if it wasn't him?

I also remember now that I'm thinking about it that someone started their gig with an out-of-tune guitar. Would that have been Robert Cray?

win2one

Hermy wrote: »

Are you sure? I remember a guest vocalist doing a few numbers at the start of one of the gigs whom I took to be Al Green. Any idea who it might have been if it wasn't him?

QUOTE]

Would it have been Rev Charlie Jackson ? he played the meeting house square backed by The El Dorados ,cant remember the year

Hermy

win2one wrote: »

Would it have been Rev Charlie Jackson ? he played the meeting house square backed by The El Dorados ,cant remember the year

Could have been - it was definitely Reverend someone.