Music

In memoriam: B.B. King (1925-2015)

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B.B. King performs at Veil Pavilion at Silverton Casino Lodge on Nov. 25, 2011.
Photo: Scott Harrison/Retna/HarrisonPhotos.com
Dennis Mitchell

Since we got word earlier this month that B.B. King was in hospice care, the news of his death at age 89 didn’t come as a shock, but our hearts all sank just the same. There was a very special kinship between King and Las Vegas, where he spent the last 40 years of his life. I had a number of friends who worked at local record stores, and each had a story of the day (or days) that B.B. strolled in and started picking through the bins. There was no way we could ever keep him to ourselves, but when he returned from world travels and entertaining sold-out crowds everywhere, we had the special distinction that the concert here would be a homecoming. He was one of us.

I lived here a long time before I actually got to see him perform, but finally made the pilgrimage to the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts in 1994 for a “Bluesfest” that had Dr. John and Little Feat as opening acts. King was resplendent, making a grand entrance after his band had warmed us up for about 20 minutes and then taking his place on a chair at center stage. I knew as I was watching him coax his trademark notes and style out of his guitar Lucille that I was watching history, and that B.B. had already taken his place among the greats of the genre.

Just five months later, he was a headliner at a blockbuster concert to mark the grand opening of the Hard Rock Hotel’s Joint concert venue. It was a splashy affair featuring a wildly varied lineup that included Iggy Pop, Al Green, Weezer, Sheryl Crow and Duran Duran. It was all taped for an MTV special, and just before headliner John Fogerty came on, King took the stage alongside Bo Diddley. As he dutifully played Bo’s trademark riff and then stole the show with his own virtuosity, we were again flush with that sensation that this was something we’d never see again.

How ironic that a guy who had so much invested in the blues, was able to make so many so happy. Rest in peace, Riley.

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