BB King “Live at the Regal” recorded in 1964 at the Regal Theater in Chicago is a landmark album.
Kicking off the album is the stomping “Every Day I Have the Blues” by Memphis Slim. There’s dynamics with the growling vocal as well as the horn and guitar stabs.
“Sweet Little Angel” - a smoldering blues follows - and the dynamics , audience interaction and response is incendiary and instructive to any live performer of the blues.
This is what makes this live blues album a landmark recording and still spoken about 60 years later.
By the mid 60’s BB Kings star did not shine as bright as it had in the 50’s with his initial hits - with promoters pushing BB to abandon the blues and be more “pop” in his repertoire and attract a bigger audience.
Thankfully BB stayed with the blues and by the late 60’s he was appearing for young white audiences - a younger whole generation of guitar players - Mike Bloomfield, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and many others were totally turned on - and the Live at The Regal album was essential listening.
Hence by 1969 - BB King was totally vindicated by winning a Grammy for his hit “The Thrill Is Gone”.
The rest is history as they say.
Go check it out - its a lesson in resilience , showmanship and musicianship!
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