So Long B.B.

B.B. King has died at 89. This is really lame news for me because he is one of my all time heroes. There are few players that I've ripped off more. I actually got a pick from him when I was a teenager and it is still one of my most prized possessions. I knew this was coming but it's still horrible to hear. RIP.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...-b-king-dies-at-89-years-old/#comment-9209043

 

I loved his music, I always wanted to see him in concert, but he just nvr came to Okla enough, when he was tour.. Rip, Mr. King...( Now he is walking with the King)

 

He is flat out one of the most influential players in ANY kind of music and has inspired players of EVERY kind of music. He is the greatest "less is more" player of all time and it's not even close. When you hear a blues player go to the highest octave and ring out the root note you are hearing pure theft. That was all B.B. and EVERY blues player has stolen that technique.

 

Man, you have a LOT of heroes. lol. Sad day for the music world. R.I.P.
When I saw the title of this thread, I was hoping you were referring to Bellichick!

 

I really do. LOL. I have them in different areas though. Like in guitar I have SRV, Hendrix, Guy, B.B., and others. In pop culture I have Walt Disney, Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, Larry Hagman, and Andy Kaufman. In American history I have Abraham Lincoln, Calvin Coolidge, Ronald Reagan, and so on and so forth. I just break them down in to sub groups. LOL. B.B. King was highly influential in the style of guitar playing that I love to do the most though.

 

Thank you Mr.King for all the good times. R.I.P. :bye:

 

When I first saw the post title I was browsing "new posts" so I didn't realize this was in The Watercooler and about had a heart attack thinking it was Big Ben.

But that aside, this is really sad news, although not really unexpected at his age. He was an amazing player and has more influence than most of us probably will ever realize.

 

Over time, it might be family, friend or favorite, but more and more...

"... I just turned around and he's gone." Thanks, BB.

 

Really hard pill to swallow. My dad was a member of his bad (drums) for a period way back in the 70's.

 

Dude that is SUPER sweet!!!!!! I'm supposing your dad has also got to share the stage with Buddy Guy as well? Albert King? Freddie? All the legends? Man you've got me geeking out dude! LOL! You GOTTA drop some knowledge on me!

 

Oh yea he was up there with a lot of them. He started out at 17 with Bobby Blue Bland. James Brown even came by the house once when I was a kid. Before he got sick, my uncle (dad's bro) last played with a band called "Doc Blues Review" here out of okc. Doc Blues (a professional dentist) was the original Blues Brother and his band wore the exact same dark suit, sun glasses and hat. The guys that created the Blues Brothers movies actually stole that entire style from him, he never got a dime for it. His club called "The Biting Sow" is still here in downtown okc. Last I checked, Doc Blues still performs there every Friday night. Stop threw and have a drink with him sometime.

 

Dude Bobby Bland is the MAN! That is so cool man! I loved his and B.B.'s version of Let The Good Times Roll. Of course Bobby also nailed Stormy Monday as well. I'm a nerd for stuff like that. LOL. A guy that I used to play blues with when we were teens got to share the stage with Buddy Guy. I'm happy for him that he did. Buddy is my ultimate blues hero probably. SRV and B.B. are right there though. It kind of just depends on what day it is and what time you ask me. LOL.

 

I LOVE Albert Collins! When I got my scholarship to play guitar in college the music director told me I could pick a song for our jazz band to play and I picked Don't Lose Your Cool. I love that song so much.

 

Ha! Too funny, wishful thinking!

 

He had phenomenal phrasing and killer tone.

 

I agree. I think T-Bone's is awesome but blues is the kind of music where one guy creates a song that's sort of a template that then other people pick up and take to another level. There's lots of blues songs that fall under that category.

 

Oh heck no, lol. He didn't stay around long enough to reach no where near that level of fame. Unfortunately, he died of a drug overdose (heroin) in the 70's before he could really make a name for himself. One of his stage names he used back then was Red "Live Wire" Nelson tho.
Drugs were a 'big' part of the music industry back then from what I understand. This in turn led to my late uncle, John Nelson, and his bands strict practices against "any" type of drug use. Like they would play overtime and after hrs until everyone was dead tired and couldn't go out partying, and thus not use. His son, Prince, adopted the same practices and has been drug free til this day. That part of the fam did fairly well imo lol.

 

Wow kool ! As I sit here thinking about it, didn't know there were this many blues enthusiasts around here ! What are some of the other things you've experienced on the circuit ?

 

I've seen some sweet blues shows. I've got to see Buddy Guy a couple of times and got to talk with his keyboard player for a long time after a show one night when I was like 18 or so. He told me he could tell that I knew my stuff and said that if I could get to Chicago he would get me on stage with Buddy. But I was too young and too poor. LOL. I also got to meet Kenny Wayne Shepherd and have him sign my Strat. He was a nice guy too. I also have my Strat signed by Scott Holt who was Buddy's rhythm player for a long time. I actually sorta snuck backstage when I was probably about 17 or so to meet him at this outdoor show. He had just got done and I ran around the stage really quick and there as no one around and I just opened up my case and he seemed sorta shocked that I was there but he signed it anyway! LOL! I've been fortunate enough to meet a lot of people that have influenced me musically. I've met Dickey Betts from the Allman Brothers. Have signatures from Warren Haynes and picks from him and Dickey both. and I've been backstage with Skynyrd and A Perfect Circle as well. Still the pick I got from B.B. is my best rock memorabilia.