When BB King was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 1987, Sting announced that “the thrill has not gone.” And so it is that twenty-three years later, an 85 year old Riley B. King is still touring the country and still thrilling audiences with his songs, his guitar playing and his stories.
How does he do it? How does an octogenarian who has had diabetes for over thirty years and spent over half his life traveling the blacktops of this country just to be able to sing a few songs and pick a few licks on a guitar keep going? Having the privilege to chat with BB’s longtime guitar player Charles Dennis before their recent sold out show in Biloxi, Mississippi, I asked this very question. Mr. Charles smiled and said, “He keeps busy”. And so he does.
What more could one possibly ask from this life than to live it spending every day doing what you love to do with people you honestly enjoy spending time with. We all could be so lucky. Asking Mr. Charles what BB usually does before a show, he laughed and said, “Well, he walks around, chats with people, plays on the computer”.
Entering the theatre slowly but to a grand aria of cheers and applause, BB waved and smiled to all the people who had come to hear him play, before taking a seat in the middle of his most wonderful band. And one thing that BB has is a band that can hold its own in the music world. Most of these gentlemen have been with BB for many years. They are sharp and tight, and seem to know BB’s every move, every word, and when given a chance to show off a little bit on their own, they absolutely glow. Giving due where due is deserved, BB spent a majority of his opening time on stage introducing each member of his ensemble: Charles Dennis on guitar, Reggie Richards on bass, James Bolden and Stanley Abernathy on trumpet, Melvin Jackson and Walter King on sax, Ernest Vantrease on keyboards, and Tony Coleman on drums.
This was my second opportunity to see this legend perform and it was as much a treat this time as it was the last time, even though I believe his set list was much shorter this time around. BB spent the majority of his time telling his infamous stories about going to see his doctor and about looking at the young ladies when perhaps it was “healthier” to turn the other cheek. “I have never seen an ugly woman … all ladies are beautiful” he noted before having everyone share their love with the person next to them.
One lady in particular was trying desperately to get BB’s attention. She hooted and hollered and shimmied and caused BB to remark, “I can’t see who’s sitting next to you so I’ll leave it at that” before making one of his funny facial expressions. “I can’t drink,” he laughed. “Might as well have a little fun.”
“Everyday I Have The Blues”, “I Need You So”, “You Are My Sunshine” and a very spirited “When Love Comes To Town” were definite highlights. There is just nothing like being in a room with BB King. Introducing the melancholy testimonial “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean”, BB lightened it up by saying “At 85, you already have a foot in the grave … and if you look at a young lady then you got the other foot in”.
Ending with his trademark “Thrill Is Gone” in a long satisfying coda, BB took his time departing the stage, shaking hands and smiling for pictures. It’s almost sad to see him leave. You just want the evening to last forever. You want BB to sing a thousand songs and play Lucille till she’s raw and tell us more stories about his life and his adventures. There are so few legends left in this world and BB King is certainly one of them.
