Wendy Jane’s Weekend Sounds – R.I.P. B.B. King – The Thrill Is Gone

B.B. King

I can’t claim to be a blues aficionado, but everyone knows B.B. King is one of the greatest blues guitarists and singers of all time.

With all the outpouring of love on social media on Friday at the news of his passing, it’s clear that a big hole is left in the hearts of those who loved B.B., his performances, his connection to his famous guitar, “Lucille,” and his catalog of hits.

Here is the poem I put together on Facebook from my friends’ Status Updates that day, and following, King’s hit, The Thrill Is Gone, because clearly, with his passing, it is. And, as an added bonus, I’m including  a song of B.B.’s that was my friend, and real estate broker/owner extraordinaire, Nelson Taylor’s favorite.

Nelson shared after B.B.’s passing: “I grew up listening to the blues. My father was a rhythm and base player and early in his life played with Steve Miller, Bozz Scaggs and Mike Nesmith. He loved the blues and together we listened to 45s on our jukebox and 8 tracks in the van on weekend hunting trips.  My father and I have rarely seen eye to eye–and in fact I no longer speak with him. But music is one place where we’ve always been kindred. We loved, still love, BB King and saw him live more than a few times. I could never learn playing music from my father and he gave it up long ago. The passing of BB King is a loss for sure. The end of something greater than the life and the music. But I feel so lucky that he lived.”

Contributors:  David Hayes, Hakim Mutlaq, Scott MacKay, Chris Tera, The New York Times (B.B. King quote), Gathering Of The Vibes, Patrick Camp, Ellen Koenig

B.B. King, The Thrill Is Gone

Nelson’s pick:  B.B. King, Sweet Little Angel

SOURCE:

www.youtube.com, The Thrill Is Gone, B.B. King, Live at Montreux, 1993, posted by Eagle Rock,  and Sweet Little Angel, B.B. King, posted by design flaw

Photo Credit:  Zac Taylor TV