B.B. King Press Releases
October, 1998
Information released by the offices
of B.B. King's manager:
Sidney A. Seidenberg, Inc.
1414 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019
B.B.
King to release new album, "Blues On The Bayou", on October 22, 1998
B.B.
King's autobiography, "Blues All Around Me", to get international releases
B.B.
King to perform a USO benefit on December 3 in New York
B.B.
King appeared on CNN's Pinnacle, interviewed by Beverly Schuck
B.B.
King on foreign tours
B.B.
King releases new product from catalogues
B.B.
King to receive Lifetime Achievement Award from "Music Of Black Origin"
London
B.B. King to release new album, "Blues
On The Bayou", on October 22, 1998
B.B. King will release his newest album, Blues On The Bayou,
(MCA Records) on October 22. It's King's first studio record in over 14
years to be recorded with his touring band, and all songs, some new and
some never before released, were written by B.B. King, who also makes his
record producing debut. Most of the back to the roots sessions were done
at Dockside Recording Studio in Maurice, Louisiana.
"Of the many records Lucille and I have had the pleasure of recording
over the years," King told David Ritz, his collaborator on his autobiography,
"this one is especially close to my heart. It's also one of the most relaxed
and, for me, most satisfying. I'd like to tell you how it came about."
"Recently I've feat the urge to go back to basics. Maybe it's my
age, I'm turning 73 this year, or maybe my conviction that this current
band is my best ever. Whatever the reason, I wanted to simplify. And this
was my simple idea: Go to a studio and, without a lot of fanfare, cut B.B.
King songs with B.B. King's band under B.B. King's supervision."
"Found some old B.B. King songs. Wrote some new ones. Go to the studio
about 11 AM and recorded till we got tired. Working that way, the record
was cut in four days. All live, all real. No overdubs, no high-tech tricks.
Just basic blues. Blues on the Bayou."
"My sincere wish is that these blues bring you as much pleasure as
they bring me. And thanks for keeping me and Lucille in your heart for
all these years."
"P.S. In case you are interested, my favorite is, I'll Survive,
a song I wrote back in the fifties. I sang it then, but I'm not sure I
understood it. Now I know the meaning of survival."
B.B. King's last album, Deuces Wild, sold more than 700,000
copies in the United Stated and over 1.4 million copies worldwide, making
it the most successful album in his illustrious career.
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B.B. King's autobiography, "Blues
All Around Me", to get international releases
The critically acclaimed B.B. King autobiography, Blues All Around
Me, (written with David Ritz) is being introduced at the Frankfurt
(Germany) Book Fair by its German publisher Palmyra Verlag. Blues All
Around Me has been or will be published in Japan (Blues Interactions,
Ltd., Tokyo), Italy (Dies Irae Records, Srl., Firenze), and Portuguese
(Editoria Atica S.A., Sao Paulo, Brazil), as well as leather bound limited
edition in the United States. Paperback issues are available in the United
States by Avon Publications and paperback editions in the United Kingdom
and all English speaking countries of the world by Hodder and Stougton
London, England.
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B.B. King to perform a USO benefit
on December 3 in New York
On December 3, B.B. King will perform at a benefit for the USO in New
York aboard the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid. Tickets are priced at $1000
a piece and the ship holds 1000 people.
In July 1996, King performed for the American Troops in Bosnia. General
Carl Mundy, who just retired as a 4 Star General, Commandant of the Marine
Corps and who accompanied King in Bosnia, asked B.B. King if he would perform
at the benefit. King agreed and will play once again for the well being
of American military personnel.
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B.B. King appeared on CNN's Pinnacle,
interviewed by Beverly Schuck
B.B. King was recently interviewed for CNN’s Pinnacle, a show that generally
features CEO’s and Presidents of companies. According to Sidney Seidenberg,
King’s long-time personal manager, Pinnacle was interested in "B.B.’s multi-faceted
career and the level he has reached." The feature aired on Sunday, October
4.
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B.B. King on foreign tours
Sidney Seidenberg announced a tour of South America commencing December
4 through 18 and covering Montevideo, Uruguay - Santiago, Chile -Buenos
Aires, Argentina - Sao Paulo, Brazil and Mexico City, Mexico. This will
be King’s last foreign tour of 1998.
Seidenberg says the 1999 foreign appearances are set as follows:
January 28-30 at the Blue Note in Fukuoka, Japan - February 1-6 at the
Blue Note in Tokyo, Japan - February 8-11 at the Blue Note in Osaka, Japan.
A tour of Eastern Europe will commence on March 3-15 with concerts in Brussels,
Holland, Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Switzerland.
Next in April is a tour of the United Kingdom and Italy commencing on April
20 with concerts in Ireland, United Kingdom, Scotland followed by shows
in Bari, Italy, Milan, Rome and Campione.
Seidenberg announced he is currently accepting offers for his annual
Jazz Festival tour which is from July 1-31 in Europe. Seidenberg's address
is listed at the top of this page.
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B.B. King releases new product from
catalogues
B.B. King’s Greatest Hits
On August 25, MCA Records released a newly re-mastered and expanded
B.B. King’s Greatest Hits comprised of 16 songs released from 1965
- 1998. Tracks include versions of "Everyday I Have The Blues" and "Sweet
Little Angel" as well as two duets, "Playin’ With My Friends" (with Robert
Cray) and "When Love Comes To Town" (with U2 - the singles version).
Also included:
"How Blue Can You Get"
"Paying The Cost To Be The Boss"
"Don’t Answer The Door"
"Why I Sing The Blues"
"The Thrill Is Gone"
"Hummingbird"
"To Know You Is To Love You"
"Chains And Things"
"Better Not Look Down"
"Never Make A Move Too Soon"
"There Must Be A Better World Somewhere"
B.B. King’s Definitive Greatest Hits
This 2 CD, 34 song anthology is being issued by Universal in England
for the international market. The first disk is the same as B.B. King’s
Greatest Hits released in the United States. The second disk contains
10 songs, six which are live as well as duets with both Gary Moore and
Bobby "Blue" Bland.
He's Dynamite!
Ace Records (England) has just released a 24 song anthology,
He's Dynamite!, with classic early B.B. King songs from the '50s
and '60s. Some songs date back to 1950 while four are previously unissued
audio this year. The songs have appeared on the RPM, Kent, Crown and CDCD
labels.
King Biscuit Presents B.B. King Live
A 1978 concert in New York will be released by King biscuit Flower
Hour Records on October 15. King Biscuit Presents B.B. King Live
consists of six songs:
"Caldonia"
"How Blue Can You Get?"
"Goin' Down Slow"
"I've Got Some Help I Don't Need"
"Just A Little Love"
"The Thrill Is Gone"
Originally a radio concert, there is a lot of jamming, especially
on the 15 minute "I've Got Some Help I Don't Need." Johnny Winter, Edgar
Winter and George Benson make guest appearances.
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B.B. King to receive Lifetime Achievement
Award from "Music Of Black Origin" London
B.B. King will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the third annual
MOBO Awards on October 14 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The MOBO
(Music Of Black Origin) Awards is a landmark event for British music, celebrating
many forms of cutting edge and contemporary urban music from street to
pop. The awards have become one of the big success stories in the history
of UK music events. The MOBO Awards is the only UK music event that provides
the international media platform for urban music. B.B. King will attend
the ceremonies, and although he is not booked to perform, he will have
Lucille near by just in case he gets the urge to play a tune!
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Last updated
on 03/28/99
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