Blind Dog Radio

King of the Blues by B.B. King

Label: Universal / Virgin, Crown, Ace, Hoodoo
Release Date: January 1, 1960
Releases: July 1, 2003; August 19, 2003; February 19, 2013
Recording Time: 30 minutes; 60 minutes [Bonus Track]

Styles: Modern Electric Blues, Soul-Blues, Electric Delta Blues, Modern Electric Chicago Blues, Regional Blues, Memphis Blues

Three cheers to Ace Records for reissuing B.B. King's Crown, Kent, and Ember sides as albums with original artwork, remastered sound, and plenty of bonus tracks. King of the Blues was B.B.'s sixth album for the Bihari Brothers on Crown, issued at a budget price, and his second full-length outing of 1960 after coming off his chart-topping "Sweet Little Sixteen" single earlier in the year. The set opens with the B-side of that single, "I've Got a Right to Love My Baby," and also includes "Partin' Time," a number eight charter as well. "I'm King" is B.B. at his boasting best; his modern style that crosses rock & roll and R&B with the jump blues is fully developed here, and his consistency from track to track during those crazy days is remarkable. In addition, there are ten bonus tracks (making the CD double length), including tunes from the early to mid-'60s such as "Tell Me Baby," "3 O'Clock Blues," "Million Years Blues," and an obscure remixed track from 1962 (issued as a single in 1970 on Kent) called "Worried Life." This is a stellar look at a young, cocky, guitar-slinging B.B. King. The sound is very fine and the notes by Jon Broven are exemplary. This is a necessary purchase for anyone interested in King's career.
by Thom Jurek

Personnel includes: B.B. King (vocals, guitar); Maxwell Davis (arranger).
Includes liner notes by John Broven.
Audio Mixer: Duncan Cowell.
Liner Note Authors: Jon Broven; John Marlo.
Photographer: Joseph Tauber.

Credits: Joe Josea - composer; B.B. King - composer, primary artist; Sam Ling - composer; Jules Taub - composer; Ferdinand Washington - composer.

2003 remastered reissue of 1960 album featuring 20 tracks released on the Crown label between 1957 & 1963 including 10 bonus tracks that are drawn mainly from the Kent singles released in the 1962-64 period, 'Things Are Not the Same', 'Growing Old', 'That's How Much You Mean to Me', 'Tell Me Baby', 'Going Down Slow', 'Whole Lot of Lovin' (aka 'Whole Lotta' Love'), 'When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer' (aka 'Million Years Blues'), 'I Can't Lose' (aka 'I Can't Lose with the Stuff I Use'), '3 O'Clock Blues', & 'Worried Life'. Ace.

Tracks: 1) Ive Got A Right To Love My Baby; 2) What Way To Go; 3) Long Nights (The Feeling They Call The Blues); 4) Feel Like A Million; 5) Ill Survive; 6) Good Man Gone Bad; 7) If I Lost You; 8) Youre On The Top; 9) Partin Time; 10) Im King; 11) Things Are Not The Same (Bonus Track); 12) Growing Old (Bonus Track); 13) Thats How Much You Mean To Me (Bonus Track); 14) Tell Me Baby (Bonus Track); 15) Going Down Slow (Bonus Track); 16) Whole Lotta Lovin AKA Whole Lotta Love (Bonus Track); 17) When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer AKA Million Years Blues (Bonus Track); 18) I Cant Lose AKA I Cant Lose With The Stuff I Use (Bonus Track); 19) 3 O Clock Blues (Bonus Track); 20) Worried Life (Bonus Track).