[hippieguy1954]

Will be missed by many. Thanks, BB!

[aiq]

Listened to Live at the Regal and Live in Japan today.

My first time hearing the King of the Blues was in Tampa, he was opening for Janis, the show where she was arrested for uttering an Elizebethan epithet.

At the height of his powers and a force of nature.

I realized today most of my favorite players are passed on....

[hippieguy1954]

Wow, must have been nice seeing BB King and Janis at the same venue. I never got to see Janis perform, which I have always regretted
I did see BB several times in the 70's and once in the 80's. Always very enjoyable and moving.
Yes, many have passed as we all eventually will. At least some have lived long.

[Dozin]

He was by far the hardest working man in show business. He run circles around any band how much he performed

[tcsned]

He was by far the hardest working man in show business. He run circles around any band how much he performed

He was still gigging up until going into home/hospice care. From the accounts of the couple of people I know who have played with him, he was as gracious as he was talented.

I missed a chance to rent him my Fender Twin when he was performing at Virginia Tech. His people called my music store looking for a Fender amp, the owner gave them my number. I chose to not answer my phone until too late. I was "getting prepped" for the show. He was funny, informative, and played some awesome blues that night.

[Charlie]

The first time I saw him was at the Hammersmith Odeon in London in 1980 and that was the night I got on the "Blues Bus". He had this incredibly tight soulful eleven piece band complete with conductor/musical director and BB singing and soloing out front. I came out of that show determined to play the blues in any capacity I could.

[hotasaPistol]

In the late 70's I worked at Harrah's Casino in South Lake Tahoe.
there was a bar that had a 2 drink minimum. A lot of bands played there that became very well know.
I saw BB there at least 25 or more times. he would do 2 shows a night. When we got our paychecks they came with 2 drink tokens. Would use them to go to that bar.
Some nights it was packed and other times maybe only a handful of people.
He always played like it was a packed house and tore it down.
One time he was playing blackjack at a table by himself so I sat down at the table and played a couple of hands. So I got to play blackjack with BB.
He was gracious and a gentle man and kind of laughed when I asked to shake his hand. I was a hippie dead head ski bum line cook.
Fast forward to 1999 and he played at the casino where now I was the executive chef. This was in Lemoore Ca. A small town in central Cali.
I got to meet him again. Me and my buddy got our picture taken with him.
Now my buddy and I have a band and that picture hangs right over the corner where my amp sits. He looks at us when we are playing.
He was a true gentleman in every sense of the world and then some.
Thanks BB for treating me like you did.
Hope you and Jer are jamming
gonna miss you when you're gone

[oceanbear11]

Yeah, they're jammin' alright. . . He sure had a good life down here, all the way from the entrada to the coda.

I didn't listen to a lot of BB, but when he went, something felt hugely different in my life. . .

Yeah, BB and Jerry and Pigpen are all gettin' along real well now. . . I can feel it.

-Oceanbear