Blind Dog Radio

King of the Blues (Box) by B.B. King

Label: Geffen / Interscope, MCA, Cleopatra
Release Date: October 20, 1992
Releases: April 1, 2016
Recording Time: 292 minutes
Recording Date: May, 1949 - December, 1991

Styles: Early R&B, Modern Electric Blues, Soul-Blues, Memphis Blues, Regional Blues

No way can a mere four discs cover every facet of the blues king's amazing recording career, but MCA makes a valiant stab at it. The first two discs, as expected, are immaculate: opening with his Bullet Records debut ("Miss Martha King"), the box continues with a handful of pivotal RPM/Kent masters before digging into his 1960s ABC-Paramount material ("I'm Gonna Sit in 'til You Give In" and "My Baby's Comin' Home" are little-recalled gems). The hits -- "The Thrill Is Gone," "Why I Sing the Blues," "To Know You Is to Love You" -- are all here, and if much of the fourth disc is pretty disposable, it only mirrors King's own winding down in the studio.
by Bill Dahl

Credits: Al Aarons - trumpet; Johnny Ace - piano; Arthur Adams - guitar; Carl Adams - composer, trumpet; Rudy Aikels - bass; Allegretto Alexander - composer; David "Leather sax" Allen, Jr. - bass; Robert Anderson - piano; Maya Angelou - composer; Joshie Armstead - vocals (background); Kenny Aronoff - drums; Irving Ashby - guitar; Harold Austin - saxophone; Ron Baker - bass; Sidney Barnes - composer; Marcus Barnett - percussion; Ronnie Barron - organ; Wilbur Bascomb, Jr. - bass; Roland Bautista - guitar (rhythm); Jules Bihari - composer; Phil Blackman - keyboards; Bobby "Blue" Bland - guest artist, unknown contributor role, vocals; Johnny Board - sax (tenor), saxophone; George Bohannon - horn; James Bolden - trumpet; Bono - composer, vocals; Henry Boozier - trumpet; Charles Bowles - organ; Eddie Boyd - composer; Ben Branch - saxophone, unknown contributor role; Tom Branch - trumpet; Oscar Brashear - trumpet; Charles Brooks - piano; Eddie "Bongo" Brown - congas; Garnett Brown - trombone; Paulette Brown - vocals (background); Walter Brown - composer; John Browning - trumpet; Georg Brunis - composer; Bobby Bryant - trumpet; Lawrence Burdine - sax (alto), saxophone; Sonny Burke - piano; Joseph Burton - trombone; Billy Butler - guitar; Bobby Cadwell - guitar; Will Calhoun - drums; Red Callender - bass; Conte Candoli - trumpet; Lenny Castro - percussion; Roland Chambers - guitar; Geary Chansley - photography; Peter Chatman - composer; Warren Chiasson - vibraphone; Dave Clark - composer; The Dave Clark Five - composer; Mahlon Clark - saxophone; Adam Clayton - bass, composer, unknown contributor role; Merry Clayton - choir/chorus; Arnett Cobb - sax (tenor); George Coleman - sax (alto); Jim Cook - synthesizer; John Willie Cook - trumpet; Alan Copeland - composer; Dave Crawford - arranger, composer, conductor, keyboards, producer, vocals (background); Hank Crawford - horn arrangements, sax (alto); The Crusaders - guest artist; Ronnie Cuber - sax (baritone); Ted Curry - drums; Paulinho Da Costa - percussion; Bob Daisley - bass; Jesse Daniels - guitar; Rick Darnell - composer; Jesse Ed Davis - guitar; Maxwell Davis - arranger, conductor, organ, sax (tenor); Pluma Davis - trombone; Bert DeCoteaux - horn arrangements; Quitman Dennis - horn, saxophone; Lawrence Dermer - synthesizer; Janet Despenza - composer; Brother Gene Dinwiddie - saxophone; Luther Dixon - composer, drums; Debra Dobkin - percussion; Bill Doggett - composer; Hobart Dotson - trumpet; Dr. John - composer, keyboards; Martin Drover - horn, unknown contributor role; Adolph Duncan - sax (tenor); Helen Duncan - vocals (background); Phyllis Duncan - vocals (background); Cornell Dupree - guitar; The Edge - composer, guitar, keyboards; Thek Edge - guitar; Esmond Edwards - producer; Duke Ellington - composer; Duke Ellington Orchestra - orchestra, unknown contributor role; Calep Emphrey - drums; Colin Escott - Liner Notes; Tommy Eyre - keyboards; Jane Feather - composer; Leonard Feather - composer; Wilton Felder - producer, sax (tenor); Victor Feldman - bass (electric); Sid Feller - producer; Charles Fendley - trombone; Julio Ferrer - guitar; Venetta Fields - choir/chorus; Anton Fig - drums; Chuck Finley - horn; Lisa Fisher - vocals (background); Fred Ford - saxophone, unknown contributor role; Earl Forest - drums; Jimmy Forrest - sax (tenor); Bobby Forte - sax (baritone), sax (tenor), saxophone; Sonny Freeman - drums; Wilbert Freeman - bass; James Gadson - drums; Bryan Garofalo - bass; Lee Gatling - saxophone; Johnny B. Gayton - bass; Leonard Gill - guitar; Larry Glenn - composer; Lloyd; Glenn - composer, piano; Jim Gordon - drums; Gary Grant - trumpet; Jewell L. Grant - sax (alto), saxophone; Miles Grayson - composer; Tuff Green - bass; William Green - sax (alto); Ed Greene - drums; Paul Griffin - keyboards; Louis Gross - composer; Carl Hall - vocals (background); Ralph Hamilton - bass; Herb Hardesty - sax (tenor), trumpet; Norman Harris - guitar; Paul Harris - organ, piano; Bill Harvey - sax (tenor); Jimmie Haskell - conductor, string arrangements; Bill Havey - sax (tenor); Roy Hawkins - composer; Sam Hawkins - composer; Jimmy Henderson - trombone; Ray Henderson - composer; Al Hendrickson - guitar; Gary Herbig - horn; Jerry Hey - trumpet; Michael Hill - guitar (rhythm); John Hobbs - piano, synthesizer; Major Holley - bass; Red Holloway - sax (tenor); Bill Hood - saxophone; Stix Hooper - composer, drums, percussion, producer; Lightnin' Hopkins - composer; Milton Hopkins - guitar; Barney Hubert - sax (baritone); Louis Hubert - sax (baritone), sax (tenor), saxophone; Bunny Hull - vocals (background); Grainger Hunt - composer; Ivory Joe Hunter - composer; Kim Hutchcroft - sax (baritone); James B. Hutchenson - bass; Bill Inglot - remixing; Jimmy Iovine - producer; Fred Jackson, Jr. - Flute, sax (tenor); Oliver Jackson - drums; Russell Jackson - bass; Wayne Jackson - horn; Randy Jacobs - guitar (rhythm); Ron Jacobs - remixing; Gerald Jemmott - bass, composer; Will Jennings - composer; Duke Jethro - organ; Sammie Jett - trombone, unknown contributor role; Howard E. Johnson - sax (alto); James Johnson - composer; Mark Johnson - composer; Johnny Jones - guitar; Jon Jones - guitar (rhythm); Quincy Jones - composer,; conductor, producer; Louis Jordan - composer; Joe Josea - composer; Hilton Joseph - sax (tenor); Jim Keltner - drums; Carol Kenyon - vocals (background); Randy Kerber - synthesizer, synthesizer bass; George Kerr - composer; Ron Kersey - keyboards; Bobby Keys - saxophone; B.B. King - arranger, composer, guitar, Liner Notes, primary artist, producer, vocals; Carole King - guest artist, piano (electric); Clydie King - choir/chorus; Riley King - composer; Al Kooper - piano; Russ Kunkel - drums; Erick Labson - digital remastering; Lonny Lalanne - trumpet; Michael Landau - guitar; John Landis - producer; Neil Larsen - keyboards; Leo Lauchie - bass; Trevor Lawrence - saxophone; Howie Leder - producer; Millard Lee - piano; Will Lee - bass; Stewart Levine - producer; Ron Levy - piano, synthesizer; Bobby Lexing - composer; Sam Ling - composer; Ray Linn - trumpet; Andrew Love - horn; Herb Lovelle - drums; Steve Madaio - horn, trumpet; Tom "Bones" Malone - trombone; Charles Mann - composer, keyboards, vocals (background); Paul Mares - composer; Sherlie Mathews - choir/chorus; Sherlie Matthews - choir/chorus; Hugh McCracken - guitar, guitar (rhythm); Kurt McGettrick - horn; Andy McKaie - compilation producer; David McMurray - saxophone; Jay McShann - composer; Frank Mead - horn, unknown contributor role; Walter Melrose - composer; The Memphis horns - horn; Memphis Slim - composer; Ed Michel - producer; Charlie Miller - trumpet; Jackie Mills - drums; Cindy Mizelle -; vocals (background); Barry Moore - producer; Fleecie Moore - composer; Gary Moore - producer, unknown contributor role, vocals; Bob Morin - drums; Larry Mullen, Jr. - composer, drums; Paul Mullen - vibraphone; Bumps Myers - saxophone; Earl Nash - congas; Calvin Newborn - guitar; Ira Newborn - arranger, composer, producer; Phineas Newborn, Jr. - piano; Phineas Newborn, Sr. - drums; David "Fathead" Newman - sax (tenor); Dick Noel - trombone; William Norvas - composer; James Burke Oden - composer; Calvin Owens - director, trumpet; Frank Owens - piano; Ray Parker, Jr. - guitar; Dean Parks - guitar, guitar (rhythm); Johnny Pate - arranger, composer, conductor, producer; Val Patillo - bass; Nicky Payne - horn, unknown contributor role; Tommy Pedersen - trombone; Tommy Pederson - trombone; Nick Pentelow - horn, unknown contributor role; Valerie Pinkston-Mayo - vocals (background); Ben Pollack - composer; Doc Pomus - composer; Roy Poper - trumpet; Robert "Pops" Popwell - bass; Al Porcino - trumpet; Jake "Vernon" Porter - trumpet; Harold Potier - drums; Benny Powell - trombone; Jim Price - horn arrangements, piano (electric), trombone, trumpet; Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - drums; Doctor Ragavoy - piano; Jerry Ragovoy - composer; Bonnie Raitt - guest artist, unknown contributor role, vocals; Mac Rebennack - composer, guitar; Jack Redmond - trombone; Waymon Reed - trumpet; Vernon Reid - composer, producer; Jerome Richardson - sax (baritone); Lee Ritenour - guitar; Jessie Mae Robinson - composer; Jimmy Rogers - composer; Leon Roppolo - composer; Edward Rowe - arranger, trumpet; Jimmy Rowles - piano; Ernie Royal - trumpet; Rebecca Russel - vocals (background); Bob Russell - composer; Leon Russell - composer, conductor, guest artist, piano; Rebecca Evans Russell - vocals (background); Jesse Sailes - drums; Joe Sample - composer, horn arrangements, keyboards, piano, producer; David Sanborn - sax (alto); Richard Sanders - sax (tenor); Ken Sands - trumpet; Louis Satterfield - bass; Sidney Seidenberg - executive producer, producer; Woody Shaw - trumpet; Steve Sherard - trombone; Louis Silas, Jr. - remixing; Charlie Singleton - composer; Vernon Slater - sax (tenor); Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - organ, piano; Tommy Southern - composer; David Spinozza - guitar; John Starks - drums; Ringo Starr - drums, guest artist; Mel Stitzel - composer; Neil Stubenhaus - bass; Eddie Saxman Synigal - sax (baritone); Bill Szymczyk - producer; Tampa Red - composer; Eli Tartarsky - guitar; Jules Taub - composer; Ian Taylor - producer; Linda Taylor - vocals (background); Sam Theard - composer; Bob Thiele - producer; Tasha Thomas - vocals (background); Julia Tillman Waters - vocals (background); Jon Tiven - composer, guitar, producer; Sally Tiven - composer, guitar; Juan Tizol - trombone; James Toney - organ; Earl Turbinton - sax (alto), saxophone; Big Joe Turner - bass; Floyd Turnham - sax (baritone); U2 - guest artist, primary artist; Lloyd Ulyate - trombone; John Uribe - guitar; Nana Vasconcelos - percussion; Louis Villery - bass; Klaus Voormann - bass; Cato Walker - sax (alto); Graham Walker - drums; James Walker - sax (baritone); Joe Walsh - guest artist, guitar, guitar (rhythm); Don Was - producer; Fats Washington - composer; Ferdinand Washington - composer; Freddie "Ready Freddie" Washington - bass; Larry Washington - congas; Luther Waters - vocals (background); Oren Waters - vocals (background); Steve Watson - guitar; Ernie Watts - sax (alto); Ben Webster - saxophone; Hudson Whittaker - composer; Don Wilkerson - saxophone; Dan Willard - piano; Maxine Willard Waters - vocals (background); Larry Williams - saxophone; Patrick Williams - trumpet; Sonny Boy Williamson II - composer; Stevie Wonder - composer, guest artist, keyboards; Gary Wright - piano (electric); Syreeta Wright - composer; Shelly Yakus - remixing; Earl Young - drums; Snooky Young - trumpet; Joe Zagarino - piano, producer; Lou Zito - producer.

Tracks, Disc 1: 1) Miss Martha King; 2) She's Dynamite; 3) Three O'Clock Blues; 4) Please Love Me; 5) You Upset Me Baby; 6) Every Day I Have the Blues; 7) Rock Me Baby; 8) Recession Blues; 9) Don't Get Around Much Anymore; 10) I'm Gonna Sit in 'Til You Give In; 11) Blues at Midnight; 12) Sneakin' Around; 13) My Baby's Comin' Home; 14) Slowly Losing My Mind) 15) How Blue Can You Get?; 16) Rockin' Awhile; 17) Help the Poor; 18 ) Stop Leading Me On; 19) Never Trust a Woman; 20) Sweet Little Angel; 21) All over Again; 22) Sloppy Drunk; 23) Don't Answer the Door, Pts. 1 & 2; 24) I Done Got Wise; 25) Think It Over; 26) Gambler's Blues.

Tracks, Disc 2: 1) Goin' Down Slow; 2) Tired of Your Jive; 3) Sweet Sixteen, Pts. 1 & 2; 4) Paying the Cost to Be the Boss; 5) I'm Gonna Do What They Do to Me; 6) Lucille; 7) Watch Yourself; 8) You Put It on Me; 9) Get Myself Somebody; 10) I Want You So Bad; 11) Why I Sing the Blues; 12) Get off My Back, Woman; 13) Please Accept My Love; 14) Fools Get Wise; 15) No Good; 16) So Excited.

Tracks, Disc 3: 1) The Thrill Is Gone; 2) Confessin' the Blues; 3) Nobody Loves Me But My Mother; 4) Hummingbird; 5) Ask Me No Questions; 6) Chains and Things; 7) Eyesight to the Blind; 8) Niji Baby; 9) Blue Shadows; 10) Ghetto Woman; 11) Ain't Nobody Home; 12) I Got Some Help I Don't Need; 13) Five Long Years; 14) To Know You Is to Love You; 15) I Like to Live the Love; 16) Don't Make Me Pay for His Mistakes.

Tracks, Disc 4: 1) Let the Good Times Roll; 2) Don't You Lie to Me; 3) Mother Fuyer; 4) Never Make a Move Too Soon; 5) When It All Comes Down (I'll Still Be Around); 6) Better Not Look Down; 7) Caldonia; 8) There Must Be a Better World Somewhere; 9) Play With Your Poodle; 10) Darlin' You Know I Love You; 11) Inflation Blues; 12) Make Love to Me; 13) Into the Night; 14) Six Silver Strings; 15) When Love Comes to Town; 16) Right Place, Wrong Time; 17) Many Miles Travelled; 18) I'm Moving On; 19) Since I Met You Baby.