B.B. King, known as The King of the Blues, and indeed one of the Three Kings of Blues Guitar (along with namesakes Albert and Freddie) was amongst the finest guitarists and vocalists to ever grace the genre. He has featured in Rolling Stone's 100 and Gibson's 50 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, reaching 6 and 17 respectively. Following his first Billboard Rhythm and Blues chart number one 'Three O'Clock Blues' in February 1952, King's career went from strength to strength, helped in no small part by the impressive number of hits he released during the rest of the decade and his extensive touring, which in 1956 reached a record-breaking 342 shows in a single year. In 1962 he recorded Live at the Regal, which is widely considered one of history's greatest blues albums, and one selected for permanent preservation in the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. He received exposure to a rock audience after touring with the Rolling Stones in 1969, and was awarded a Grammy for his 1970 recording of 'The Thrill Is Gone'. King was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Official Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2014. B.B. King remained active throughout the rest of his life, recording regularly and often still playing in excess of 300 gigs a year. In 1997 he performed at the Vatican's fifth annual Christmas concert, presenting Lucille to Pope John Paul II. In 2000, he recorded Riding with the King with Eric Clapton, which would go on to receive the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album. King embarked on a farewell tour with Gary Moore in 2006, only to continue working for another decade, famously performing a duet with President Obama at the White House in 2012. Although B.B. had suffered from diabetes for over 20 years, it was only recently that his health began to fail, which forced him to cancel a number of shows in 2014. On 14th May 2015, he sadly passed away at the age of 89.
Disc 1:
Disc 2:
Disc 3:
Disc 4:
Disc 5:
Disc 6:
Disc 1:
- Got The Blues
- Take A Swing With Me
- Miss Martha King
- When Your Baby Packs Up And Goes
- My Baby's Gone
- Walkin' And Cryin'
- The Other Night Blues
- B.B.Boogie
- Mistreated Woman
- I Am
- B.B.Blues
- Shake It Up And Go
- Hard Working Woman
- She Don't Move Me No More
- She's Dynamite
- Fine Looking Woman
- Pray For You
- She Is A Mean Woman
- Someday Somewhere
- It's My Own Fault
- Story From My Heart And Soul
- Neighbourhood Affair
- Highway Bound
- Can't We Talk It Over
- Worry Worry Worry
- Don't Have To Cry
- You Didn't Want Me
- Gotta Find My Baby
- Bye Bye Baby
- Please Hurry Home
Disc 2:
- Please Help Me
- Why Did You Leave Me
- Praying To The Lord
- Boogie Rock
- Everything I Do Is Wrong
- Sixteen Sons
- Jump With You Baby
- Lonely And Blue
- Talking The Blues
- You Know I Love You
- Please Love Me
- You Upset Me Baby
- Bad Luck
- Ten Long Years
- Sweet Little Angel
- Three O'Cock Blues
- Blind Love
- Crying Won't Help You
- Woke Up This Morning
- Everyday I Have The Blues
- On My Word Of Honour
- I'm Cracking Up Over You
- Dark Is The Night (Part 1)
- Let's Do The Boogie
- Did You Ever Love A Woman
- How Do I Love You
- You Can't Fool My Heart
- My Heart Belongs To You
- I Wonder
Disc 3:
- The Key To My Kingdon
- You Don't Know
- Early In The Morning
- The Ain't The Way To Do It
- I Want To Get Married
- When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer
- Troubles, Troubles, Troubles
- Don't You Want A Man Like Me
- I Need You So Bad
- Why Does Everything Happen To Me'
- Boogie Woogie Woman
- Ruby Lee
- You Know I Go For You
- What Can I Do'
- You've Been An Angel
- Please Accept My Love
- Mean Old Frisco
- Don't Look Now, But I've Got The Blues
- Past Day
- Tomorrow Is Another Day
- Fool
- I Love You So
- We Can't Make It
- Treat Me Right
- The Woman I Love
- Time To Say Goodbye
- Sweet Thing
- I've Got Papers On You Baby
- Sugar Mama
- A Lonely Lover's Plea
Disc 4:
- Come By Here
- Just Sing The Blues
- Someday Baby
- Whole Lotta' Love
- Be Careful With A Fool
- (I'm Gonna) Quit My Baby
- Days Of Old
- Sweet Sixteen
- Sneaking Around
- Don't Get Around Much Anymore
- Things Are Not The Same
- Fishin' After Men
- Servant's Prayer
- Precious Lord
- Old Time Religion
- Sweet Chariot
- Army Of The Lord
- Save A Seat For Me
- Jesus Gave Me Water
- I Never Heard A Man
- I'm Willing To Run All The Way
- I'm Working On The Building
- I Was Blind
- I Had A Woman
- I've Got Right To Love My Baby
- What Way To Go
- Long Nights (The Feeling They Call The Blues)
Disc 5:
- Feel Like A Million
- I'll Survive
- Good Man Gone Bad
- You're On The Top
- If I Lost You
- Partin' Time
- I'm King
- Mr Pawn Broker
- Cat Fish Blues (Fishin' After Me)
- Please Set The Date
- Walking Dr Bill (O D)
- Hold That Train
- You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now
- My Own Fault, Darling
- Understand
- Bad Case Of Love
- Get Out Of Here
- Baby, Look At You
- You're Breaking My Heart
- My Reward
- Don't Cry Anymore
- Blues For Me (1961)
- Just Like A Woman
- Shut Your Mouth
- Bad Luck Soul
- Peace Of Mind
Disc 6:
- Someday
- I'm Gonna Sit Till You Give In
- Tomorrow Night
- You're Gonna Miss Me
- Got 'em Bad
- Troubles Don't Last
- Your Letter
- I Can't Explain
- I Can't Explain
- The Wrong Road
- I Need You Baby
- So Many Days
- Down Hearted
- Strange Things
- Easy Listening Blues
- Blues For Me (1962)
- Night Long
- Confessin'
- Don't Touch
- Slow Walk aka Slow Burn
- Walking'
- Hully Gully Twist
- Shoutin' The Blues
- Rambler
- My Sometime Baby
- Down Now