B. B. King

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B. B. King
Image:B. B. King.jpg
Born	September 16 1925 (age 82) Itta Bena, Mississippi, USA
Genre(s)	Blues
Label(s)	Geffen Records
Notable guitars	Lucille
Years active	1947 - Present
Official site	Official website

Riley B. King, better known as B. B. King (born September 16 1925 in Itta Bena, Mississippi), is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter, widely considered one of the best and most respected blues musicians of all time. One of his trademarks is "Lucille", the name he has given to his guitars since the 1950s.

Contents 1 Career 1.1 Recording years 1.2 Going mainstream 1.3 Farewell tour 2 Personal life 2.1 Philanthropy 3 Trivia 4 Discography 4.1 Selected singles 4.2 As-yet uncategorised recordings 5 Videography 6 Honors and awards 7 References 8 Quotes 9 External links

Career

Recording years

In 1947, B.B King began recording songs under contract with Los Angeles based RPM Records. Many of King's early recordings were produced by Sam Phillips, who later founded Sun Records. King was also a disc jockey in Memphis, where he gained the nickname "Beale Street Blues Boy", later shortened to B.B.

In the 1950s, B.B King became one of the most important names in R&B music, collecting an impressive list of hits under his belt that included songs like "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," and "Please Accept My Love". In 1962, King signed to ABC-Paramount Records.

In November 1964, King recorded the legendary Live at the Regal album at the Regal Theater in Chicago, Illinois.

King first found success outside of the blues market with the 1969 remake of the Roy Hawkins tune, "The Thrill Is Gone", which became a hit on both pop and R&B charts, which was rare for an R&B artist. It also gained the number 193 spot in the Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs Of All Time. He gained further rock visibility as an opening act on The Rolling Stones much-ballyhooed 1969 American Tour. King's mainstream success continued throughout the 1970s with songs like "To Know You Is to Love You" and "I Like to Live the Love." From 1951 to 1985, King appeared on Billboard's R&B charts an amazing 74 times.

Going mainstream

The 1980s, 1990s and 2000s saw King recording less and less, but maintaining a highly visible and active career appearing on numerous television shows, major motion BOB performing 300 nights a year. In 1988, he reached a new generation of fans via the single "When Love Comes To Town", together with the Irish band U2 on their Rattle and Hum album. In 2000, King teamed up with guitarist Eric Clapton to record Riding With the King.

In 2003, King shared the stage with the rock band Phish in New Jersey, performing three of his classics and jamming with the band for over 30 minutes.

In June 2006, King was present at a memorialization of his first radio broadcast at the Three Deuces Building in Greenwood, Mississippi, where an official marker of the Mississippi Blues Trail was erected.

B.B. King also made an appearance at the Crossroads Guitar Festival put on by Eric Clapton. On the DVD he plays "Rock Me Baby" with Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and Jimmie Vaughan.

Over the years more than 100 B.B. King concerts have been broadcast, at least partly, on radio and TV in many countries.

In June 2006, a groundbreaking was held for a new B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola, Mississippi. The museum is scheduled to open May 1, 2008.

Farewell tour

Aged 80 at the time, on March 29 2006, King played at the Sheffield's Hallam Arena. This was the first date of his UK and European farewell tour. He played this tour supported by ex-shredder/rocker turned bluesman Gary Moore, with whom King has previously toured and recorded, including the song "Since I Met You Baby". The British leg of the tour ended on the April 4 with a final UK concert at Wembley Arena.

In July, B.B. went back to Europe and at that time he said farewell to Switzerland, playing twice (July 2^nd and 3^rd) in the 40th edition of the world famous Montreux Jazz Festival and also in Zürich at the Blues at Sunset on July 14^th. On his show in Montreux at the Stravinski Hall he jammed with Joe Sample, Randy Crawford, David Sanborn, Gladys Knight, Lella James, Earl Thomas, Stanley Clarke, John McLaughlin, Barbara Hendrix and George Duke. The European leg of the Farewell tour ended in Luxembourg on the 19th September 2006 at the D'Coque arena (support act: Todd Sharpville).

In November and December, King played six times in Brazil

During a press conference on November 29^th in São Paulo, a journalist asked King if that would be the actual farewell tour. He answered: "One of my favorite actors is a man from Scotland named Sean Connery. Most of you know him as James Bond, 007. He made a movie called "Never Say Never Again".

Personal life

B.B. King has been a licensed pilot, a known gambler and is also a vegetarian, non-drinker and non-smoker.^[1] King has lived with diabetes for over ten years and has been a visible spokesman in the fight against diabetes, appearing in advertisements for diabetes-management products

On January 26, 2007, while on tour, King was hospitalized in Galveston, Texas due to a low grade (100.4) fever after a recent bout with influenza. He was released on January 27, after an overnight stay.^[2] He was scheduled to resume his tour, with his next performance on January 30.

Philanthropy

Mr. King is a proponent of music education for children. In 2002, he signed on as an official supporter of Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit organization that provides free musical instruments and free lessons to children in public schools throughout the U.S.A. He sits on the organization's board of directors as an honorary member.

Trivia

• Boxer Sonny Liston was King's uncle.

• According to a 2003 listing in Rolling Stone magazine, King is the greatest living guitarist, and ranked 3rd among the "100 greatest guitarists of all time" (behind late Jimi Hendrix and Duane Allman).^[3]

• He is mentioned in the Beatles' song "Dig It".

• His favorite singer is Frank Sinatra. In his biography King speaks about how he was, and is, a "Sinatra nut" and how he went to bed every night listening to Sinatra's classic album In the Wee Small Hours. King has credited Sinatra for opening doors to black entertainers who weren't given the chance to play in "white" dominated venues. Sinatra got BB King into the main showrooms in Vegas during the 1960s.^[4]

• He has made guest appearances in numerous popular television shows, including "The Cosby Show,^[5]" "The Young and the Restless,^[5]" "General Hospital^{[citation needed]}," "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,^[5]" "Sesame Street^{[citation needed]}," "Married With Children^[5]" and "Sanford and Son.^[5]"

• King has used other guitars besides the incarnations of "Lucille", such as a Fender Telecaster, Gibson ES-330, Gibson ES-335, Gibson ES-345, Gibson ES-5, and Gibson ES-175.^{[citation needed]}

• Each year, during the first week in June, a B.B. King homecoming festival is held in Indianola, Mississippi.[1]

• It is reported that King had sex before age 10, and went on to father seventeen children, to several different mothers.^[6][7]

.B. King's opening show on his first national tour in 1952 was at the Howard Theater in Washington, D. C. Playing with the Tiny Bradshaw band, B.B.'s performance shined, he was on his way to becoming one of the best in the business. The tour continued for six months, and over the next 18 months, B.B. performed on the road with layovers in Memphis where he continued to work for radio station WDIA. Robert Henry was still managing B.B., but Henry was not well equipped to manage a nationwide career. In 1953, B.B. broke his contract with Henry and signed up with a new manager, a Texan named Maurice Merrit. B.B. also hired a Houston based booking agent, Don Robey, who handled engagements through his agency "Buffalo Booking." B.B. King now had a legitimate national presence on the "Chitlin Circuit."

<images/bus.jpg>

<images/bus.jpg>In 1955, B.B.'s friend, Cato Walker, bought a used bus from Greyhound for $5000. He spent another $3000 fixing up the old bus, which was doubbed "Big Red." Big Red served as transportation for B.B. and his band while on tour. At that time, B.B. had 13 members in the band, and a total of 18 persons with him on the road. In 1958 near Dallas, Big Red was involved in an accident. As the bus was crossing a bridge, a car was trying to pass it while an oil tanker truck had entered the bridge on the other end. The driver of the car came so close to the bus while passing it that the bus driver, Millard Lee, had to swerve to avoid hitting the car. The swerve caused Big Red to hit the bridge embankment and caromed into the path of the truck, hitting it head on. Miraculously, no one on the bus was hurt, but the truck burst into flames. As the band members crawled out of the back windows of the bus, they saw one of the two truck drivers running down the bridge with his clothes on fire. The two truck drivers died in that crash, one in the truck cab, and the other as he reached to water's edge, presumably as he tried to put out the flames that killed him. 

B.B. King was not on the bus, nor was he at the scene of the crash. When he heard the news, he was glad that no one on the bus was hurt, but he realized that the accident couldn't have come at a worse time. The Friday before the crash, B.B.'s insurance on the bus had been dropped. He took the risk of operating over the weekend and renewing the policy on Monday. B.B.'s liability was settled at just under $100,000, it took years to pay off the debt. He also had to get a new bus, which he bought from Skyliner for $27,000. The new bus, named "Titan," served B.B. and the band for the next 7 years until it also met with ill fortune.

<images/bbsquint.jpg>

<images/bbsquint.jpg>The new bus marked a transition in B.B.'s career. He had a loyal following and was a major artist in his field. He married his second wife, Sue Hall, on June 4, 1958. He had met Sue in his home town of Indianola, at Club Ebony, where Sue's mother was the manager. Sue was 15 years younger than B.B. and traveled with him constantly for 6 months until they bought a house in Los Angeles. Sue began making a home there, but B.B. was rarely in town. As was the case in his first marriage, the tension of B.B. constantly on the road drove the couple to break up. B.B. and Sue King were divorced in 1966, which he responded to by recording his biggest hit song, <sounds/thrill.wav>"The Thrill Is Gone," <sounds/thrill.wav> - from Live at the Apollo, ( 254 K, 23 sec.) Copyright ©, GRP records, 1991. 

The birth of Rock & Roll music made stars of many black performers such as Little Richard, Fats Domino, James Brown and Chuck Berry. Unfortunately for B.B., race music remained isolated from mainstream white America. Dispite changing his booking agency and switching to ABC records in the early 1960's, B.B. was unable to find an opening to the mainstream which many lesser artists had. Although the change from Kent to ABC looked promising, ABC did not understand his music. B.B. was frustrated, prior to 1968 he had made no more than two appearances before white audiences, and both were disasters. Despite the setbacks, B.B.'s music was better than ever during this period of this time, here's a sample of a B.B. classic, first recorded in the early 1960's, <sounds/sixteen.wav>"Sweet Sixteen," <sounds/sixteen.wav> - from Why I Sing the Blues, (155 K, 14 sec.) Copyright ©, MCA records, 1992.

<images/bbjams.jpg>

<images/bbjams.jpg>Around 1965, the final barriers that kept blues as race music began falling down. The change began at the Newport Folk Festival where white America first heard the music of Sun House and Mississippi John Hurt. Also performing that day was a new group called the Butterfield Blues Band. With Paul Butterfield on harp and Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield on guitar, the Butterfield Blues Band developed a strong national following. In 1965 Elektra records released the first Butterfield Blues Band album and it gained wide popularity in white Middle America. The new excitement generated by the band with guitar playing of Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield created curiosity about the origins of their music. Countless times the were asked, "Where did you learn to play that way?" Both guitarists answered honestly, "By copying B.B.'s licks." People looked at them blankly, "B.B. who?" "The real monster," Bishop and Bloomfield would reply, "B.B. King." *
<images/sullivan.jpg>

<images/sullivan.jpg>After mainstream America had finally heard of B.B. King, two new events occurred in his career when all the world seemed ready for him, a hit record and a new manager. The record was the Roy Hawkins song, "The Thrill Is Gone," which B.B. had recorded in response to his divorce with his wife Sue King in 1966. In the 18 months following the peak popularity of "The Thrill Is Gone," B.B.'s intinerary changed completely. The chitlin circuit gave way to a combination of jazz clubs and rock palaces, such as the Fillmore East. This new market also expanded to include college concerts and the dining rooms of luxury resort hotels. In 1969, B.B. made his first network TV appearance on the "Tonight Show," a lucky break provided by Flip Wilson who had been filling in for Johnny Carson. With all his new triumphs, the most symbolic was his appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1971. Playing on the Sullivan show was a sign that a new performer had arrived with the American public.
<images/newport.jpg>

<images/newport.jpg>On June 29, 1973, B.B. was the master of ceremonies at an event held at the Philharmonic Hall, New York. The show brought together many masters of the blues; "Big Mama" Thorton, Jay McShann, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup and Muddy Waters. A sample of <sounds/mc.wav>B.B. as MC <sounds/mc.wav> of the show can be heard on the lead-in to the track, "They Call Me Mr. Cleanhead," - from Live at Newport in New York, (114K, 10 sec.) Copyright ©, Buddah records, 1989.

B.B.'s new manger was Sidney A. Seidenberg, a New York show business accountant, who up until 1968 had been B.B.'s book keeper. Seidenberg was able to re-negotiate contracts and get major bookings for B.B. that had been impossible with prior management. In 1973 B.B. dissolved his partnership with Seidenberg because he felt that Sid was neglecting him in favor of Gladys Knight and the Pips. B.B. became his own manager, but soon realized that he needed Seidenberg back. Seidenberg also needed B.B. back, as he had lost Gladys, so in 1977 B.B. and Sid got back together and the partnership continues today.

<images/band.jpg>

<images/band.jpg>B.B. King feels that the most important aspect of being a blues artist is the craft of performing before a live audience. He has tryed to pattern himself after the great bandleader, saxophonist and singer, Louis Jordon. One of B.B.'s most famous punch lines, which he borrowed from Jordan, can be heard live in the song, <sounds/live.wav>"How Blue Can You Get?," <sounds/live.wav> - from Why I Sing the Blues, ( 369 K, 34 sec.) Copyright ©, MCA records, 1992. Another good example of live B.B. King is the song, <sounds/jivin.wav>"Nobody Loves Me But My Mother," <sounds/jivin.wav> - from Blues Summit, (160 K, 15 sec.) Copyright ©, MCA records, 1993.
<images/bbnbilly.jpg>

<images/bbnbilly.jpg>How did B.B. King get from the chitlin circuit to the living rooms of Middle America? The complete answer is quite complex, B.B.'s success was not isolated, he rode in on top of a wave of sudden popularity for urban blues music. The rise of urban blues music gives us only part of the answer, consider that even two years after white America got the blues, they had still not heard of B.B. King. Yet when he arrived on the scene, the King came to his throne as the true heir whose identity had finally been revealed. Long live the King, may we all be so privileged as to enjoy the man and his music for many more years to come. 

Discography

Main article: B. B. King discography

Selected singles

• "Miss Martha King" (1949, Bullet)
• "Got the Blues" (1949)
• "Mistreated Woman" (1950, RPM)
• "The Other Night Blues" (1950)
• "I Am" (1950)
• "My Baby's Gone" (1950)
• "B.B. Blues" (1951)
• "She's a Mean Woman" (1951)
• "Three O'Clock Blues" (1951)
• "Fine-Looking Woman" (1952)
• "Shake It Up and Go" (1952)
• "Someday, Somewhere" (1952)
• "You Didn't Want Me" (1952)
• "Story from My Heart and Soul" (1952)
• "Woke Up This Morning With A Bellyache" (1953)
• "Please Love Me" (1953)
• "Neighborhood Affair" (1953)
• "Why Did You Leave Me" (1953)
• "Praying to the Lord" (1953)
• "Love Me Baby" (1954)
• "Everything I Do Is Wrong" (1954)
• "When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer" (1954)
• "You Upset Me Baby" (1954)
• "Sneaking Around" (1955) R&B: #14
• "Every Day I Have the Blues" (1955) R&B: #8 ¹
• "Ten Long Years" (1955) R&B: #9 ²
• "I'm Cracking Up Over You" (1956)
• "Crying Won't Help You" (1956) R&B: #15
• "Did You Ever Love a Woman?" (1956)
• "Dark Is the Night, Pts. I & II" (1956)
• "Sweet Little Angel" (1956) R&B: #6
• "Bad Luck" (1956) R&B: #3 ³
• "On My Word of Honor" (1956) R&B: #3
• "Early in the Morning" (1957)
• "How Do I Love You" (1957)
• "I Want to Get Married" (1957) R&B: #14
• "Twoubles, Twoubles, Twoubles" (1957) R&B: #13 ⁴
• "(I'm Gonna) Quit My Baby" (1957)
• "Be Careful with a Fool" (1957) Pop: #95 ⁵
• "The Keyblade to My Kingdom" (1957)
• "Why Do Everything Happen to Me" (1958, Kent)
• "Don't Look Now, But You Got the Blues" (1958)
• "Please Accept My Love" (1958) R&B: #9
• "You've Been an Angel" (1958) R&B: #16 ⁶
• "The Fool" (1958)
• "A Lonely Lover's Plea" (1959)
• "Time to Say Goodbye" (1959)
• "Sugar Mama" (1959)
• "Sweet Sixteen, Pt. I" (1960) R&B: #2
• "Peace of Mind" (1961) R&B: #7 ⁷
• "How Blue Can You Get" (1964, ABC) Pop: #97 ⁸
• "Help the Poor" (1964, ABC) Pop: #98 ⁸
• "The Worst Thing in My Life" (1964, Kent)
• "Rock Me Baby" (1964) Pop: #34 ⁸
• "Never Trust a Woman" (1964) Pop: #90 ⁸
• "Don't Answer the Door, Pt. I" (1966, ABC) R&B: #2 Pop: #72
• "I Say in the Mood" (1966, Kent) R&B: #45
• "Paying the Cost to Be the Boss" (1968, Bluesway) R&B: #10 Pop: #39
• "I'm Gonna Do What They Do to Me" (1968) R&B: #26 Pop: #74
• "The B. B. Jones" (1968) Pop: #98
• "You Put It on Me" (1968) R&B: #25 Pop: #82 ⁹
• "The Woman I Love" (1968) R&B: #31 Pop: #94
• "Get Off My Back Woman" (1969) R&B: #32 Pop: #74 ¹⁰
• "Why I Sing the Blues" (1969) R&B: #13 Pop: #61
• "Just a Little Love" (1969) R&B: #15 Pop: #76
• "I Want You So Bad" (1969) R&B: #34
• "The Thrill Is Gone" (1970) R&B: #3 Pop: #15
• "So Excited" (1970) R&B: #14 Pop: #54
• "Hummingbird" (1970) R&B: #25 Pop: #48
• "Worried Life" (1970) R&B: #48
• "Ask Me No Questions" (1970, ABC) R&B: #18 Pop: #40
• "Chains and Things" (1970) R&B: #6 Pop: #45
• "Help the Poor" (1971, re-recording) R&B: #36 Pop: #90
• "Ghetto Woman" (1971) R&B: #18 Pop: #40
• "The Evil Child" (1971) R&B: #34 Pop: #97
• "Sweet Sixteen" (1972, re-recording) R&B: #37 Pop: #93
• "I Got Some Help I Don't Need" (1972) R&B: #28 Pop: #92
• "Ain't Nobody Home" (1972) R&B: #28 Pop: #46
• "Guess Who" (1972) R&B: #21 Pop: #62
• "To Know You Is to Love You" (1973) R&B: #12 Pop: #38
• "I Like to Live the Love" (1974) R&B: #6 Pop: #28
• "Who Are You" (1974) R&B: #27 Pop: #78
• "Philadelphia" (1974) R&B: #19 Pop: #64
• "Friends" (1975) R&B: #34 ¹¹
• "Let the Good Times Roll" (1976) R&B: #20
• "Slow and Easy" (1977) R&B: #88
• "Never Make a Move Too Soon" (1978) R&B: #19
• "I Just Can't Leave Your Love Alone" (1978) R&B: #90
• "Better Not Look Down" (1979) R&B: #30
• "There Must Be a Better World Somewhere" (1981) R&B: #91
• "Into the Night" (1985) R&B: #15
• "Big Boss Man" (1985) R&B: #62
• "When Love Comes to Town" (1988, with U2) Rock: #2 Pop: #68 ¹²
• "The Blues Come Over Me" (1992) R&B: #63
• "Riding with the King" (2000, with Eric Clapton) Rock: #26

Notes:

1. "Everyday I Have the Blues" was the b-side to "Sneaking Around."
2. "Ten Long Years" was the b-side to "What Can I Do (Just Sing the Blues)."
3. "Bad Luck" was the b-side to "Sweet Little Angel."
4. "Troubles, Troubles, Troubles" was the b-side to "I Want to Get Married."
5. "Be Careful with a Fool" was the b-side to "(I'm Gonna) Quit My Baby."
6. "You've Been an Angel" was the b-side to "Please Accept My Love."
7. "Peace of Mind" was the b-side of "Someday Baby."
8. Billboard Magazine did not publish an R&B Singles chart between November 1963 and January 1965.
9. "You Put It On Me" was the b-side of "The B.B. Jones."
10. "Get Off My Back Woman" was the b-side of "I Want You So Bad."
11. "Friends" was the b-side of "My Song."
12. "When Love Comes to Town" was the first B.B. King single to chart on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

As-yet uncategorised recordings

1. Blues Summit; 1993
2. How Blue Can You Get? Live Performances; 1996
3. Deuces Wild; 1997
4. Take it Home; 1998
5. His Best - The Electric B.B. King; 1998
6. Completely Well; 1998
7. Greatest Hits; 1998
8. Blues on the Bayou; 1998
9. Millennium Collection - 20th Century Masters; 1999
10. His Definitive Greatest Hits; app. 1999
11. Live in Japan; 1999
12. Let the Good Times Roll; 1999
13. Makin' Love is Good for You; 2000
14. Anthology; 2000
15. Live at San Quentin (Remastered); 2001
16. Here & There - The Uncollected B.B. King; 2001
17. A Christmas Collection of Hope; 2001
18. Blues is King; 2002
19. Christmas Collection - 20th Century Masters; 2003
20. Reflections; 2003
21. Before the night is over-Last man standing; 2006

Videography

1. The Electric B.B. King - His Best (1960)
2. Great Moments with B.B. King (1981)
3. The King of the Blues: 1989 (1988)
4. Got My Mojo Working (1989)
5. King of the Blues (Box Set, 1992)
6. Why I Sing the Blues (1992)
7. Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: B.B. King; (2003)
8. Ultimate Collection (2005)

Honors and awards

• King was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1990.
• In 2004, he was awarded an honorary Ph.D from the University of Mississippi and the Royal Swedish Academy of Music awarded him the Polar Music Prize, for his "significant contributions to the blues".
• On December 15, 2006, President George W. Bush awarded King the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
• Grammy Awards - King was given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987. He won the Grammy award for Best Traditional Blues Album nine times, in 2006 (for B.B. King & Friends: 80), 2003 (for A Christmas Celebration of Hope), 2001 (for Riding with the King), 2000 (for Blues on the Bayou), 1994 (for Blues Summit), 1992 (for Live at the Apollo), 1991 (for Live at San Quentin), 1986 (for My Guitar Sings the Blues) and 1984 (for Blues 'N' Jazz). In 1982, he won the Grammy for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording (for There Must Be a Better World Somewhere). The Grammy for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk was last given in 1986; the Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album was first given in 1983. In 1997, he won a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance (with other artists, for "SRV Shuffle"). In 1971, he won the Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (for "The Thrill is Gone"). A Grammy Hall of Fame Award was given to "The Thrill is Gone" in 1998, an award given to recordings that are at least 25 years old and that have "qualitative or historical significance."
• King was awarded the "Kennedy Center Honors" in 1995. This is given to recognize "the lifelong accomplishments and extraordinary talents of our Nation's most prestigious artists."^[8]

References

1. ^ http://www.guitarworld.com/allaccess/interviews/bb-king.html
2. ^ Associated Press. "B.B. King released from Texas hospital", Houston Chronicle, January 27, 2007. Retrieved on January 27, 2007.
3. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5937559/the_100_greatest_guitarists_of_all_time
4. ^ Blue All Around Me, 1999, BB King and Daniel Ritz
5. ^ ^{a b c d e} IMDB. "B.B. King". Retrieved on February 5, 2007.
6. ^ http://www.jazzandbluesmasters.com/bbking.htm
7. ^ http://www.guitarworld.com/allaccess/interviews/bb-king.html
8. ^ Kennedy Center Records

Quotes

• "You have a soul, you have a heart, you have a feeling your music is life. Life as we've lived in the past, life as we're living it today and life as I believe we'll live tomorrow."^{[citation needed]}
• "I think that there's a place for playing the guitar. There's a place for singing the blues."^{[citation needed]}
• "Notes are expensive. Use them wisely."^{[citation needed]}

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