Goodnight, BB King.
Got to see him "open" for Miles Davis at Lincoln Center. Amazing show.
The thrill is gone.
Ya know, when Ben E. King passed away a few weeks ago, I thought to myself, " Haven't heard much from BB lately. He did those commercials for the diabetic testers that didn't need to puncture the fingertips and the bits he played were enough to propel me to YouTube." RIP
I love the blues she heard my cry. Rest in peace, Mr. King. You used your talents.
Beyond his far-reaching technical and artistic influence, the joy he brought to the blues was unsurpassed. Humor has deep roots in the music, but humor alone cannot explain the sheer delight that fills me (and the audience) every time I hear B.B. build up to his declaration at the Regal, "I gave you seven children, and now you want to give them back!" A powerful tonic in the face of despair.
You can watch some older folk at their professions/passions, and their love and their talent and their need to keep sharing this, even if some of the sharpness and the extra clarity begin to dull. And yet for others, the fire and the joy burn just as deep and nothing ever dulls.
There are some once-great performers who really should rest, just muck around with their mates and not really be in front of audiences any more.
But reading that BB King was 89, well my head takes it in, but the numbers don't seem real.
Do you think in 40 years there will be a new generation of MOLers feeling the same way about their celebs?
We won't ever forget you.