Thursday, May 1, 1997, 6:00-7:00 PM PST

Entire transcript of B.B.King's chat session on MSN's Rifff. Visit the MSN Rifff page at: http://rifff.msn.com

Host: Good evening. Tonight it is our privilege to have as our special guest Mr. B.B. King. In the 50-odd years, the 74 albums, the hundreds of songs and countless performances in between, B.B. King has raised the blues from race music to an international language.

Host: He and his band have played for prisoners and presidents and taught us how little difference there is, really, between the two. We're honored to give you the chance to experience B.B.'s blues and to share his stories tonight at Rifff.

Host: B.B. you've got a ton of fans out here on the Net. What do you think about that and do you visit any of the sites dedicated to you?

BB King: Well, I'm glad, I'm very happy that I can communicate with fans and people that are interested and what we do, what we might think about doing. I have not visited the sites yet, I hope to do that in the future.

Host: If you were going to invite some of your peers over for an informal jam session, who would you invite?

BB King: It's easier to ask me who I would not invite, and I can't think of anyone that I would not invite - I've been doing some recording recently, and I think I'd try to invite them.

BB King: Eric Clapton, Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, Willie Nelson, Van Morrison, Dr. John, Dionne Warwick, Marty Stuart, Tracy Chapman, Mick Hutnell, Bonnie Raitt, of course, Heavy D...

BB King: D'Angelo, Jeff Beck, of course and, okay, there are so many, ZZ Top, I could just go on and on. Bobbie Bland, Little Milton, so many others, there are so many. I'd have to have an auditorium, my house wouldn't be big enough for the jam.

Host: fizorzed asks: B.B. when you coming through Chicago again?

BB King: Ah, maybe later this year. I'll probably be coming through there later this year.

Host: KidKeyboards notes: When you look under "intensity" in the music dictionary, the synonym is BBKing!

BB King: Well, any time they mention my name, I'm happy.

Host: B.B. everybody says you're a nice guy. How do you keep your feet on the ground?

BB King: Ha ha ha! Ah, well, I remember that people haven't always known about me and times haven't always been good.

BB King: So, when I think of that, I wanna keep people thinkin' of me, positive, and remindin' myself that I would prefer times to be as they are today and not like they were some times in my early life.

BB King: So, that's how I very easily keep my feet on the ground. I think of the audience and fans as my bosses -- I want to stay employed.

Host: JD asks: Hi B.B. - Jim here, I work with Sid's son Bob on the Worldblues web site. Have you had a chance to see it lately?

BB King: I haven't seen it lately, but I'm aware of it, yes. Tell him I thank him so much. They give out a lot of information and I'm proud that we can do that through this new technology.

Host: KidKeyboards asks: BB: With all the drinks and drugs in the music scene, how hard is it to stay focused?

BB King: Well... I think that when you start at the beginning, you might be a little wild... you soon learn, for example, I never used hard drugs, other than liquor.

BB King: And I soon found out after some years that I couldn't play as well when I was loaded. Some people seem to think they do, but they're foolin' themselves. So, now I hardly drink at all.

BB King: But, if I was going to give advice to anyone else, especially musicians, I would say, "Get high off your music!"

Host: Bruno2 asks: Any plans to play with U2 again? Maybe during their PopMart tour?

BB King: Uh - heh - I would like very much to play with them. They played in my hometown, Las Vegas, I was in Europe at the time.

BB King: So, I sent them flowers and hope that they received. I'd like to work with them again - they're nice and good people.

Host: Buzz1 asks: Outside of the U.S., what's your favorite country to tour in?

BB King: Ohhh, that's a hard one. Ah... I can't think of THE favorite country to tour in, other than to say that each country, sorta like food, has something that the other's don't have so I'm always pleased to visit each.

BB King: When I go to the UK, there's a lot going on. Same in other places in the world. Same thing in South America and the Orient - it's hard to say which is a favorite. There are a lot of nice people around.

Host: rocker asks: B.B. - Will you be doing any jammin with the Tower of Power during the summer tour??

BB King: I hope so - I can only speak for myself, but I hope so.

Host: loomis asks: B.B.-how did you keep yourself going even when times where rough?

BB King: Well.. even when times was rough, I thought that sooner or later I'd see the silver lining, if you will, so I thought to myself.

BB King: I've never been in prison, but I thought that if cons can stick it out doin' time, then I should be able to stick it out until times got better. Thank God that they did.

Host: fizorzed asks: B.B. any advice for young bluesmen like myself? - Lefty Wizz

BB King: Well - I would say to Lefty, just stay with it, that's what I did, and I promise you, practice do make perfect.

Host: Fred_1 asks: BB - How much influence did Muddy Waters have on you?

BB King: My music, Muddy didn't have so much to do with as he did as the gentleman that he was. To me, he was the godfather of the blues. Muddy Waters was to me the godfather of the blues.

BB King: I respect him highly. He did more for blues in modern times than anyone else, I think.

Host: DrRocket1 asks: Hiyas BB!! I was at the 1st annual Berkeley (S.F.) Jazz Concert in the early '70s and well remember you and Kenny Burrell jamming. Is he still kicking and, if so, are you two going to record together anytime?

BB King: Kenny Burrell is my favorite guitarist today. To try to answer your question, yes, he's kicking.

BB King: He's one of the great jazz guitarists of the world today and he still plays but we have not talked about doing any recording.

BB King: I would like very much to record with him. Bonnie Raitt is my favorite slide guitarist.

Host: Tealt asks: Would you rather play at a small club or a big hall?

BB King: Well, uh, I think that's kinda like asking me if I'd rather eat or drink water. I like them both, because the early years, all I did was play the smaller places and now in my later years, I've had the chance to play in the larger places.

BB King: I still think that playing the smaller places is good some times, and I still like playing the larger places. So I think that playing them both is still important to me.

Host: JD asks: Hi B.B., Jim again. Do you have a new album in the works?

BB King: Yes, the people that I mentioned that I've been recording with for the last month.... they are the people that are going to be on the new album that I'm doing. That is my new album - or new CD, whatever you call them.

Host: Alex wants to know when you are coming back to Seattle to play the Paramount. They have fixed it up.

BB King: Yes, I look forward to that, but I don't know at this time when we'll be back there - it's possible that we might go there with the Bluesfest show -- I'm not sure at this time.

Host: fizorzed asks: B.B. who would you say is your favorite "New " blues musician?

BB King: There are so many, I haven't just picked a favorite - there are so many that are playing so well and all of them are playing something that I wish I could play.

Host: KidKeyboards asks: BB: Favorite guitarist on the scene today and of all time (present company excepted)?

BB King: Definitely have to exclude me...

BB King: I don't know - I think the people on the scene are the same as the answer to the young players.

BB King: There are so many good people out - I haven't been able to put one in front of the other - they all seem to do their own thing.

BB King: They have their own identity - that's good, it's good for the music. So, I just like them all. Each of them are doing something I wish I could do.

Host: Chip asks: How much influence did Robert Johnson have on you? I love your music!

BB King: Ha ha ha!

BB King: Thanks very much - Robert Johnson was not my favorite. I thought he was good, I respect him highly, but he didn't influence my music at all.

BB King: LONNIE Johnson was the one I liked.

Host: Questor asks: B.B. --What do you think of New Age music?

BB King: I think there's a place for it - if it gets a lot of young minds a chance to stretch out, to really explore the music scene... so, there's a place for it.

Host: spartan asks: B.B., I look forward to seeing you at the Hampton jazz fest. any chance of you and Robert Cray jammin' on stage together?

BB King: Oh yeah! I don't know - you'd have to ask Robert

BB King: I'm open for it, I'd love to do it.

Host: matt asks: do you plan to appear at the North Sea Jazz Festival this year in The Netherlands?

BB King: No, I don't think so. We will probably bypass the North Sea Jazz Festival this year - maybe we'll get it next year.

Host: KidKeyboards asks: Ever play with Ramsey Lewis, BB?

BB King: No, I've never played...yes I have, yes I have.

BB King: We recorded a tune, I wasn't just playin' with him.

BB King: It was a big band tune, I belive it was "Every Day I have the Blues." We did a big band chart on it 2-3 years ago in LA.

BB King: Ramsey was the keyboardist, I was on the guitar and I think it did some singin'

BB King: I tell ya, so many things have been coming past me lately, I can't remember everything the way it should be. But, I do remember what it was.

Host: Chip_asks: Of all the blues players around today, who do you listen to?

BB King: Well. I listen to quite a few of the new players today. I'm mostly into the older things

BB King: I'm kinda like those radio stations that say oldies-but-goodies — I like them.

Host: JD asks: B.B., how's Rufus Thomas doing these days?

BB King: I spoke to him on his birthday - his birthday was last month... and I called him on his birthday and he sound good, said he was doin' well.

BB King: His son, Marvelle is going to do a birthday bash for him some time in the very near future. I'm hoping that I can be around to attend it.

BB King: But, to answer your question, Rufus Thomas is doing well. He was very surprised, very surprised to hear from me.

Host: muffinhead asks: What do you think about Bonnie Raitt?

BB King: Oh! The sweetheart of the business - she's my favorite slide guitarist and one of the nicest people I've ever met.

BB King: I think I've had 2 or 3 ladies in this music business that were close to me. Bonnie Raitt was one, Janis Joplin was one and.. Ruth Brown was another, a very dear friend.

Host: Annee asks: Do you ever play accoustic guitar, if so how do you like it compared to electronic?

BB King: Well, yes, all of the early years when I was startin' out playin', we didn't have electricity, so I couldn't play nothin' but acoustic guitars.

BB King: I like the sound of them, to me, the greatest sound in the world is the acoustic guitar played by a country musician....

BB King: I love the sound of them - the difference to me, between the acoustic guitar and the electric guitar, I think in my case, is sustainin' the sound.

BB King: That's what the electric guitar does for me - I don't think it alters the sound much...

BB King: It seems to me, the sound is pretty much the same, it's just amplified on the electric.

BB King: Of course, if you use a wah-wah, that will change the sound, but to me, it's generally the same sound. To me that is.

Host: brownsugar asks: Is there a chance that you will team up with Bobby Blue Bland ever again?

BB King: I'm lookin' forward to it - i asked him and he said that he would, but he didn't say when.

BB King: Bobby Bland is my favorite blues singer.

Host: Buzz1 asks: Besides San Quentin, how many prisons have you played in? Any memorable experiences?

BB King: Oh, I think we've played somewhere 'bout 50 prisons, bout 50 I think... we've had a few things that kinda shook me up al little bit, but it worked out nicely.

BB King: I remember once we played a prison and I remember that all of a sudden that there was inmates all around me and they treated me very nicely.

BB King: About a week later, they started riotin' and people were hurt, so that kinda scared me a little bit..but I must say they treated me nicely.

BB King: The federal prisons make you sign a paper when you're goin' in that says if somethin' happens - you're on your own. That's a little frightenin' sometimes.

BB King: For some reason, I think the inmates have always appreciated me comin' to see them.

Host: mead asks: Mr. BB King, what motivated you to do the Texaco commercial?

BB King: HA HA! Oh - Money!!

BB King: But, this was done, I know Texaco has had some problems lately, but we did the recording before that happened.

BB King: It's funny, when I see the dog singin' The Thrill is Gone, I say, "Uh, oh." But, they paid me nicely and I enjoyed doing the commercial for Texaco.

BB King: I would like to add the most of the big company conglomerates like that, they have nice, shall we say, well, they pay you well; they have advertising campaigns.

BB King: They pay you well - I'm just happy that they chose me to do some of the commercials.

Host: Dennis asks: B, Have you heard of Robben Ford? What do you think of him as a guitarist/blues player?

BB King: I've heard of Robben Ford, but I"m not familiar with his music.

BB King: There are many great guitarists and entertainers around that I don't know. Some I hear of, I hear about how good they are, but I haven't heard his work.

BB King: I hear that about Robben, how good he is.

Host: LindaG asks: How do you keep up a concert schedule that would exhaust musicians 20 years younger than you?

BB King: Hah - well, heh, it's an old saying that blues musicians use quite often. We have "Needmore" disease - so I need more, that's why I work hard.

Host: Bluedoor asks: BB, we really enjoy your "Blues Summit", disc, do you plan any more collaborations with other Blues Artists?

BB King: Ah - at this time, we're not doin' another where we have a lot of blues artists on it. But I hope to do some more of that in the future.

Host: Bruno2 asks: Apart from playing Lucille, what's the one big thing you'd like to accomplish during the rest of your life?

BB King: I'd like to be in a full-length movie, where I'd be not actually featured, but workin' with the star of the movie, but I'd be featured somewhat.

BB King: I've been in many movies with a cameo appearance...

BB King: I remember being in one movie, I think it was Spys Like Us, my great line was, "Would you gentlemen care for a Pepsi?"

BB King: I was a CIA agent - that was supposed to be the code word for something. I'd like to be in a movie where I said more than one line.

Host: Chip_asks: Do you consider Memphis or Chicago home of the blues?

BB King: Memphis. I think that Chicago was great though, thanks to Muddy Waters, they opened doors to him, they did much to preserve the blues.

BB King: But, I still think that Memphis is the home of the blues.

Host: benny asks: Hi I really enjoyed your part in the documentary "When We Were Kings". Is there anything you can share about that time?

BB King: Yes, it was fun doing it, but I haven't seen it yet!

BB King: We was in Zaire... in a town called "Kinchesa" Both of the fighters I liked, and still do.

BB King: I've been friends with Ali and Foreman, and I was there, not pulling for either, just a good fight. Happy if either one won, sad if either one lost.

BB King: I'd never been to that part of Africa and was surprised that they spoke French. Well, that didn't help me too much, cause no parlez vous Francais.

BB King: I had a good time - we arrived there about 3:30 a.m. and there was thousands of people dancin' in the street with joy. It was good to see - I cried.

Host: muffinhead asks: Are you interested in other music types than blues and if so who are your favorite artists?

BB King: I'm interested in all types of music that I've heard...

BB King: Each person seems to have something going. Whether it be hip-hop, rap, jazz or what have you.

BB King: So many do so well, I just admire them. I haven't thought of who's best, but I enjoy them and that's the truth.

Host: blueman asks: I though your Blues Summit collaboration was great...are any more planned?

BB King: Nothing planned as of right now with blues players - I have different people that's on the album I'm doing now, but I don't have any real, down to earth, blues players on it.

BB King: We're doing bluesy things and doing some blues, but we don't have any of the blues singers that are known for just being blues players.

Host: spartan asks: B.B. So many of the great african-american bluesmen are in their golden years. We just lost Albert King here not too long ago. Who do you see as some of the young talent to carry the mantle for the next generation?

BB King: There are so many, Robert Cray... oh my gosh..oh, Buddy Guy... then there are younger ones, Joe Louis Walker, young guy from Canada, Jeff Healy, Little Jimmy King.

BB King: In fact, in Australia, there's a little guy there about 14 years old named Nathan Cavalere, he's great. When I'm gone I won't be missed that much.

Host: Annee asks: I've heard you on talk shows and you appear to be very much at ease.. has this always been your personality or have you developed this ease over the years?

BB King: I think I've developed it somewhat over the years, but if you could see the insides, you'd see the wheels turnin' very first. I be nervous somewhat.

BB King: I've always been a slow talker, even when I was a disc jockey, I didn't talk too fast.

BB King: When they really got me, when we made The Thrill is Gone in '69. My agents asked me to come up to Channel 9 in NY, I believe it was.

BB King: I was supposed to chat with a DJ there, and my people, my PR people, had given him questions that he could ask that they knew that I could answer.

BB King: When I got into the studio, it was one of those where you have a picture window, he sat with his back to the window that leads to the hallway.

BB King: There were many people watching him interview me. He didn't look at the paper at all - he looked straight at me and his first question was: "How do you like Governor Wallace?"

BB King: At that time, he wasn't too popular with a lot of black people. I said, "I think he believes in what he's doing and I guess that's okay"

BB King: And the next question was: What do you think of the KKK? My heart was in my throat, it came up further. So, I said, "They think they're right too."

BB King: "What do you think of the Kennedys?" "I love them"

BB King: "Mayor Lindsey?" "I love him too"

BB King: "Governor Reagan" "I think he was a pretty good actor."

BB King: The funny thing, then he laughed. He thought he'd really pulled something over. It wasn't so funny to me.

Host: Dennis asks: MIDI guitar, I noticed in a picture of your trophy room you have a Roland GK2a pickup, do you experiment with midi guitar?

BB King: Yes, I do.

Host: spartan asks: What happened to the black audience for the blues? Does it alarm you to see the dearth of African-Americans at concerts and why do you think your audience has changed?

BB King: Well, for one thing, I think that people that like my kind of blues, the African Amercians that did like it were generally my age or older.

BB King: Some had children, some grandchildren, the ones that go out to concerts after having children, they just don't go.

BB King: A lot of younger blacks didn't know me, or play me. They went for the younger people.

BB King: They didn't care much about the blues, the seemed to feel that there was shame being associated with it.

BB King: They didn't realize that there weren't any people of any race that didn't have difficult times one time or another and I use the term "Dirty clothes in the closet"

BB King: The white people didn't think that way and I think that a lot of the young people "latch on to it." And I'm mighty glad that they do - I think I'd be unemployed if they didn't.

Host: Fizorzed asks: B.B., Lefty Wizz again, at your clubs, (B.B. King's blues club) do you have a certain age cut off, and are there jam nights?

BB King: It's jam night practically every night. We have live music each night.

BB King: Well, as far as the age limit is concerned, we serve alcoholic beverages in the nightclubs. The state laws in each state set the limit.

BB King: We have one in Memphis, so Tennessee regulates that, the one in California regulates that.

BB King: We have little to do with it other than to stay within the law to keep it open. I wish everyone could come, but they have an age limit that we have to abide by.

Host: muffinhead asks: How did the idea for your club in LA get started?

BB King: Well the same way that we got the one started in Memphis. We had some people that was instrumental in helping us get started.

BB King: The one in Memphis was doing well, we had some friends in CA that helped is get started there.

BB King: My name and their money. I've got a little bit in it, but what can I tell you? Lucille and I are proud to be in it.

Host: benny asks: Are the girls as good as you said they were in your book?

BB King: I said I liked them - I don't think I said how good they were!

BB King: Yes, I don't think there's anything better in the world than girls. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't want to be here. There's music, but girls come first.

Host: blueman says: B.B., What song of yours do you love to play the most in public? Mine is "The Thriil is Gone".

BB King: There aren't any that I'd rather play - after 74 albums, there are so many in number that I enjoy doing.

BB King: The one that I like most that I've recorded is called "A Mother's Love" and I don't think anybody bought it but me.

BB King: So much so that the company never released it on CD. I love it because it's coming to mothers - especially my mother.

Host: Dennis asks: Do you know of any recordings of Lowell Fulsom?

BB King: Yes - I'm a big fan! In fact, the first tune that I recorded that was a hit was Lowell Fulsom's Three-O-Clock Blues.

Host: fizorzed asks: how is John Lee Hooker doing? have you played with him lately?

BB King: Not lately - he's a good friend, from what I hear he's doin' pretty good. As you may know, we're the two oldest active people out here now.

BB King: Can't think of anybody else that's older. The rest of them are younger.

BB King: I dunno, Lowell might be close to my age. I think John Lee and I are about the oldest.

Host: Questor asks: B.B.--Where do you see Rythm & Blues going in the future? As in the popularity or even style or instruments used.

BB King: Well... We got a lot of great people that are working in the R&B area, as we use the Godfather of Soul as James Brown.

BB King: The Godsister is Aretha Franklin. You've got so many, like Whitney Houston and D'Angelo and so many that came since those two. I think it's still healthy and going well.

BB King: There are a few that are rapping but quite a few of them still use Aretha and James...the Temptations, Smoky Robinson.

BB King: There are many out there that they like and listen to and I think that they'll still be carrying on soul music, R&B if you will and a lot of them are terrific.

Host: Fred_1 says: BB-What is your opinion of the new digital sound, as compared to the traditional tube sound?

BB King: Well, I'm still sort of a thickhead. It's not so much that I know about the digital, but if you play in something that's digital.

BB King: If it's something that' recorded, you can make the recording even better. I'm kinda open to new technology and I think that's one of the things that's going to better as we go.

BB King: I was told that if you recorded something and you didn't finish it for a long time... that you could digitize it, and make it sound like the one that you did 6 to 8 months ago and that's good I think.

Host: Tealt asks: What do you think of parental advisories on music?

BB King: Well... I think of that in a couple of ways. Naturally I wouldn't want my children or grandchildren to hear some of the things that are said in records.

BB King: But, I'm also a little skeptical about people tellin' you what you can hear because of what they think.

BB King: I do hope that some of the artists that make the music that use the unsuitable words for families, that they just wouldn't do it unless it was absolutely necessary.

BB King: I've gone to many movies, I'm a movie freak. I like to watch movies that have, shall we say, nude scenes in them - but only if it's necessary to make the picture go right, if that's a good word.

BB King: I don't think I'd like to go see it just to see the nudie scenes in the picture. If I wanted to see that, I'd buy a porno.

BB King: I think the same way with songs and lyrics. I did a thing with HeavyD and in it he asked if he could use the word "ass" I said, of course, everybody's got one.

BB King: One part of the lyric is "shake your ass" and I don't think that's offensive. But, when you start to talk about other things that are done sexually, that might be offensive.

BB King: I'm kinda with the people that think you should be able to make a good record without using a lot of the heavy words that they use.

Host: Howard asks: I do feel Mr. King that you and others like yourself can be very instrumental in helping dealing with the perplexities facing our youth. You are still a hero. What do you think?

BB King: Well... I think that... as an adult, as a father, grandfather and great grandfather that I should try to live a certain way, especially in public.

BB King: To try to be something that you wouldn't mind bringin' your family 'round to see me. If one of your friends sons or daughters wanted to see me, you wouldn't be offended.

BB King: I've made my living from the public and that makes me a public figure. As a public figure, I've got watch what I do, watch what I say and so on...

Host: JD asks: B.B., when do you find time to relax?

BB King: Well, I'm relaxed now, talkin' to you. To answer your question, I love watching TV, I'm a TV freak at home.

BB King: I have an old truck that I enjoy driving - I like to drive around in the streets and up in the hills. I used to fly, used to enjoy that.

BB King: I'm just a regular, how they say, country boy. You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy.

BB King: Most people when they go some place, the go to France, Niagara Falls, South America... When I go on vacation... I want to go HOME!

Host: blonde says: Does BB still do the US Military Shows such as at RAF Mildenhall about 15 years ago???? As a GI it sure was nice to listen to a piece of Americana when your serving your country overseas !!!!!!!!!!

BB King: Yes - well, we do some now, but I think 10 - 15 years ago, I had a radio show that was syndicated that we recorded in LA.

BB King: We syndicated it across the US and to the AFN. We're not doing that now, but once in awhile we do get to do something for the armed forces. Last year we got to do the US base in Bosnia.

Host: Buzz1 asks: Do you still write music? What are the best conditions for writing? Do songs come to you in dreams?

BB King: I don't remember dreamin' about any of them, other than daydreamin'. But, yes, I still write some, not that much any more. I guess I've gotten somewhat lazy in my older years.

BB King: Most people that are writing songs are writing things that are almost like I'd met them and asked them to write what I wanted to say.

BB King: If they say what I want to say, there's no reason for me to write - I just take one of them.

Host: fizorzed asks: B.B., do you think the blues scene was better 30 years ago, or is it better today?

BB King: That's easy - better today. Much better today. More people, gosh, especially younger people.

BB King: They're supporting it, playing it and playing it well. The blues are more popular today since then and I've been trying to play it.

Host: Thank you BB for being our guest tonight

Host: You have been an inspiration for generations and been a part of our musical lives for most of our lives we really appreciate your attendance.

BB King: I had a wonderful time - it was really fun. Thank you.

Host: Thank you too to the audience..... Thank you everyone for coming to the chat!

Host: Your questions were wonderful and we hope you enjoyed the evening.

Host: Good night

Return to B.B. King's Home Page

JD Version 1.0.0.0

This page last updated on 11/12/98