Music Of Our Heart Blog

B. B. King is a national treasure. He is the undisputed “King of the Blues”.

We have seen B. B. King eight times live in concert. He is a consummate performer.

He’s 85 years young. We’ve watched him hold an audience spellbound in the palm of his hand.

I have a couple of  favorite B. B. King concert moments to share with you.

We last saw B. B. King at the Ives Center in Danbury, CT on the Western Connecticut State University campus. They have a band shell on the water where the artists perform. B. B. King was the headliner for an all day blues festival. He received a 10 minute standing ovation when he hit the stage. He was seated on a chair at the edge of the stage. Picture B. B. King with his orchestra around him, in front of a moat that separated him from the audience.

He then said something very funny to us all. “You know, I should have brought my fishing pole.” Referring to the water in front of him. That got a huge laugh from the audience. I think of that moment often.

That’s what I really love about B. B. King. He is in command of the moment.

Another true story about B. B. King was the second time we saw him in concert at Foxwoods Casino‘s Fox Theater in Ledyard, Ct in 2004. We had front row seats that night and I was making a connection with B. B. King, seated to his left.

He had just finished playing, “The Thrill is Gone“. He then took his guitar pick and sailed it right to me. It flew through the air perfectly and landed under my seat as I tried to catch it. Try as I may I could not find it, in the darkened theater. When the concert was over several people came over to where I was sitting and tried to find the pick for themselves. I was so afraid one of them had found it. But they all walked away without it.

I had given up hope locating that souvenir. I reached under my seat for my souvenir bag that I had gotten purchasing a B. B. King t-shirt in the lobby before the show. Much to my joy I discovered the guitar pick in the bag. B. B. King had sailed his guitar pick right into my souvenir bag under my seat. How cool was that?

If you get the chance go see B. B. King in concert. You will enjoy your evening and who knows maybe he’ll throw you a souvenir at the end of the evening.