B.B. King, Ben E King & Other R&B & Jazz Figures

BB King ~ 89 ~ Iconic Blues singer & guitarist from the 1950's on. Born in Mississippi as Riley B King, he learned blues and gospel including having singer Bukka White as a mentor. When White moved to Memphis King went as well. King became a performer on Beale Street where he picked up the name "B.B" meaning "Blues Boy" King. He met T Bone Walker and appeared on Sonnyboy Williamson's radio show and was recorded by Sam Phillips' (later owner of Sun Records) for King Records in 1949. He began a string of hits that lasted all through the 1970's including "You Know I Love You", "Woke Up This Morning", "Please Love Me", "When My Heart Beats like a Hammer", "Whole Lotta Love", "You Upset Me Baby", "Every Day I Have the Blues", "Sneakin' Around", "Ten Long Years", "Bad Luck", "Sweet Little Angel", "On My Word of Honor", "Please Accept My Love" and "The Thrill Is Gone". In 1988 he scored a comeback hit in a duo with U@ on "When Love Comes To Town". He developed a distinctive style based on his dislike of playing and singing simultaneously by instead singing a line then backing it up with a guitar line as a call and response. He was cited as a major influence by Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughn, Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Gary Moore, all of whom he played with. He also appeared in movies and TV commercials including "Blue Brothers 2000". He continued to tour until late last year when health issues finally sent him into hospice care.

BB KING ON TV 1968 pt.1;


BB KING Pt.2;


BB KING, ALBERT KING, STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN, with PAUL BUTTERFIELD;


Bo Diddley, BB King, Smokey Robinson, Paul Butterfield, Chuck Berry - "Hey! Bo Diddley";


Ben E King ~ 76 ~ R&B singer best known for the classics "Stand By Me" and "Save The Last Dance For Me". King was singing with Doo Wop group the Five Crowns around 1958 when the manager of The Drifters, an established group, hired the Five Crowns to replace the original Drfiters who had quit or been fired. The Drifters had several hits including "There Goes My Baby", "Save The Last Dance", "This Magic Moment" and "I Count The Tears" (the melody and chorus of which was later lifted for the Grassroots hit "Live For Today". He would later go on to many more solo hit including "Spanish Harlem", "Stand by Me" and "I Who Have Nothing". Also recorded with LaVern Baker, Dee Dee Sharp, Bo Diddly and The Average White Band.

BEN E KING ~ "STAND BY ME":


BEN E KING ~ "SPANISH HARLEM";


Percy Sledge ~ 74 ~ R&B singer with Atlantic Records, had hit with classic hit version of "When A Man Loves A Woman"

PERCY SLEDGE ~ "WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN";


Harold Battiste ~ 83 ~ New Orleans Jazz pianist, saxophonist, composer and arranger/ worked with Sam Cooke ("You Send Me"), Joe Jones, Lee Dorsey ("Ya Ya"), Sonny and Cher ("I Got You Babe"), Dr. John, Ellis Marsalis, Joe Jones, Tom Waits

SAM COOKE ~ "YOU SEND ME";


LEE DORSEY ~ "YA YA";


SONNY & CHER ~ "I GOT YOU BABE";


Ornette Coleman ~ 85 ~ Iconic Jazz Sax player and founder of Free Jazz from 1950's on.

ORNETTE COLEMAN ~ "THE SOUNDTRACK";




Nat Peck ~ 90 ~ American Jazz trombonist from the 1940's on, played with Glenn Miller, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, James Moody, Roy Eldridge, Don Byas, Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones, Benny Goodman, Kenny Clarke, Lucky Thompson

LUCKY THOMPSON BAND IN PARIS:


DIZZY GILLESPIE IN DENMARK;


Smokey Johnson ~ 78 ~ New Orleans Jazz and R&B drummer from the 1950's on; played with Fats Domino, Johnny Adams and Earl King as well as solo. Had hit with "It Ain't My Fault"

SMOKEY JOHNSON ~ "IT AIN'T MY FAULT";


SMOKEY JOHNSON ~ "I CAN'T HELP IT";


SMOKEY JOHNSON ~ "THE FUNKY MOON";


Herbie Goins ~ 76 ~ American R&B singer from the 1950's on, sang with Alexis Korner

HERBIE GOINS & THE NIGHTIMERS ~ "CRUISIN";


HERBIE GOINS & THE NIGHTIMERS ~ "COMING HOME TO YOU";