Rise to Stardom
B.B. King's opening show on his first national tour in 1952 was at the Howard Theater in Washington, D. C. Playing with the Tiny Bradshaw band, B.B.'s performance shined, he was on his way to becoming one of the best in the business. The tour continued for six months, and over the next 18 months, B.B. performed on the road with layovers in Memphis where he continued to work for radio station WDIA. Robert Henry was still managing B.B., but Henry was not well equipped to manage a nationwide career. In 1953, B.B. broke his contract with Henry and signed up with a new manager, a Texan named Maurice Merrit. B.B. also hired a Houston based booking agent, Don Robey, who handled engagements through his agency "Buffalo Booking." B.B. King now had a legitimate national presence on the "Chitlin Circuit."
In 1955, B.B.'s friend, Cato Walker, bought a used bus from Greyhound for $5000. He spent another $3000 fixing up the old bus, which was doubbed "Big Red." Big Red served as transportation for B.B. and his band while on tour. At that time, B.B. had 13 members in the band, and a total of 18 persons with him on the road. In 1958 near Dallas, Big Red was involved in an accident. As the bus was crossing a bridge, a car was trying to pass it while an oil tanker truck had entered the bridge on the other end. The driver of the car came so close to the bus while passing it that the bus driver, Millard Lee, had to swerve to avoid hitting the car. The swerve caused Big Red to hit the bridge embankment and caromed into the path of the truck, hitting it head on. Miraculously, no one on the bus was hurt, but the truck burst into flames. As the band members crawled out of the back windows of the bus, they saw one of the two truck drivers running down the bridge with his clothes on fire. The two truck drivers died in that crash, one in the truck cab, and the other as he reached to water's edge, presumably as he tried to put out the flames that killed him.
B.B. King was not on the bus, nor was he at the scene of the crash. When he heard the news, he was glad that no one on the bus was hurt, but he realized that the accident couldn't have come at a worse time. The Friday before the crash, B.B.'s insurance on the bus had been dropped. He took the risk of operating over the weekend and renewing the policy on Monday. B.B.'s liability was settled at just under $100,000, it took years to pay off the debt. He also had to get a new bus, which he bought from Skyliner for $27,000. The new bus, named "Titan," served B.B. and the band for the next 7 years until it also met with ill fortune.
The new bus marked a transition in B.B.'s career. He had a loyal following and was a major artist in his field. He married his second wife, Sue Hall, on June 4, 1958. He had met Sue in his home town of Indianola, at Club Ebony, where Sue's mother was the manager. Sue was 15 years younger than B.B. and traveled with him constantly for 6 months until they bought a house in Los Angeles. Sue began making a home there, but B.B. was rarely in town. As was the case in his first marriage, the tension of B.B. constantly on the road drove the couple to break up. B.B. and Sue King were divorced in 1966, which he responded to by recording his biggest hit song,
"The Thrill Is Gone," - from Live at the Apollo, ( 254 K, 23 sec.) Copyright ©, GRP records, 1991.
The birth of Rock & Roll music made stars of many black performers such as Little Richard, Fats Domino, James Brown and Chuck Berry. Unfortunately for B.B., race music remained isolated from mainstream white America. Dispite changing his booking agency and switching to ABC records in the early 1960's, B.B. was unable to find an opening to the mainstream which many lesser artists had. Although the change from Kent to ABC looked promising, ABC did not understand his music. B.B. was frustrated, prior to 1968 he had made no more than two appearances before white audiences, and both were disasters. Despite the setbacks, B.B.'s music was better than ever during this period of this time, here's a sample of a B.B. classic, first recorded in the early 1960's,,"Sweet Sixteen," - from Why I Sing the Blues, (155 K, 14 sec.) Copyright ©, MCA records, 1992.
Around 1965, the final barriers that kept blues as race music began falling down. The change began at the Newport Folk Festival where white America first heard the music of Sun House and Mississippi John Hurt. Also performing that day was a new group called the Butterfield Blues Band. With Paul Butterfield on harp and Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield on guitar, the Butterfield Blues Band developed a strong national following. In 1965 Elektra records released the first Butterfield Blues Band album and it gained wide popularity in white Middle America. The new excitement generated by the band with guitar playing of Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield created curiosity about the origins of their music. Countless times the were asked, "Where did you learn to play that way?" Both guitarists answered honestly, "By copying B.B.'s licks." People looked at them blankly, "B.B. who?" "The real monster," Bishop and Bloomfield would reply, "B.B. King." *
After mainstream America had finally heard of B.B. King, two new events occurred in his career when all the world seemed ready for him, a hit record and a new manager. The record was the Roy Hawkins song, "The Thrill Is Gone," which B.B. had recorded in response to his divorce with his wife Sue King in 1966. In the 18 months following the peak popularity of "The Thrill Is Gone," B.B.'s intinerary changed completely. The chitlin circuit gave way to a combination of jazz clubs and rock palaces, such as the Fillmore East. This new market also expanded to include college concerts and the dining rooms of luxury resort hotels. In 1969, B.B. made his first network TV appearance on the "Tonight Show," a lucky break provided by Flip Wilson who had been filling in for Johnny Carson. With all his new triumphs, the most symbolic was his appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1971. Playing on the Sullivan show was a sign that a new performer had arrived with the American public.
On June 29, 1973, B.B. was the master of ceremonies at an event held at the Philharmonic Hall, New York. The show brought together many masters of the blues; "Big Mama" Thorton, Jay McShann, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup and Muddy Waters. A sample of 
B.B. as MC of the show can be heard on the lead-in to the track, "They Call Me Mr. Cleanhead," - from Live at Newport in New York, (114K, 10 sec.) Copyright ©, Buddah records, 1989.
B.B.'s new manger was Sidney A. Seidenberg, a New York show business accountant, who up until 1968 had been B.B.'s book keeper. Seidenberg was able to re-negotiate contracts and get major bookings for B.B. that had been impossible with prior management. In 1973 B.B. dissolved his partnership with Seidenberg because he felt that Sid was neglecting him in favor of Gladys Knight and the Pips. B.B. became his own manager, but soon realized that he needed Seidenberg back. Seidenberg also needed B.B. back, as he had lost Gladys, so in 1977 B.B. and Sid got back together and the partnership continues today.
B.B. King feels that the most important aspect of being a blues artist is the craft of performing before a live audience. He has tryed to pattern himself after the great bandleader, saxophonist and singer, Louis Jordon. One of B.B.'s most famous punch lines, which he borrowed from Jordan, can be heard live in the song,"How Blue Can You Get?," - from Why I Sing the Blues, ( 369 K, 34 sec.) Copyright ©, MCA records, 1992. Another good example of live B.B. King is the song,"Nobody Loves Me But My Mother," - from Blues Summit, (160 K, 15 sec.) Copyright ©, MCA records, 1993.
How did B.B. King get from the chitlin circuit to the living rooms of Middle America? The complete answer is quite complex, B.B.'s success was not isolated, he rode in on top of a wave of sudden popularity for urban blues music. The rise of urban blues music gives us only part of the answer, consider that even two years after white America got the blues, they had still not heard of B.B. King. Yet when he arrived on the scene, the King came to his throne as the true heir whose identity had finally been revealed. Long live the King, may we all be so privileged as to enjoy the man and his music for many more years to come.
In 1955, B.B.'s friend, Cato Walker, bought a used bus from Greyhound for $5000. He spent another $3000 fixing up the old bus, which was doubbed "Big Red." Big Red served as transportation for B.B. and his band while on tour. At that time, B.B. had 13 members in the band, and a total of 18 persons with him on the road. In 1958 near Dallas, Big Red was involved in an accident. As the bus was crossing a bridge, a car was trying to pass it while an oil tanker truck had entered the bridge on the other end. The driver of the car came so close to the bus while passing it that the bus driver, Millard Lee, had to swerve to avoid hitting the car. The swerve caused Big Red to hit the bridge embankment and caromed into the path of the truck, hitting it head on. Miraculously, no one on the bus was hurt, but the truck burst into flames. As the band members crawled out of the back windows of the bus, they saw one of the two truck drivers running down the bridge with his clothes on fire. The two truck drivers died in that crash, one in the truck cab, and the other as he reached to water's edge, presumably as he tried to put out the flames that killed him.B.B. King was not on the bus, nor was he at the scene of the crash. When he heard the news, he was glad that no one on the bus was hurt, but he realized that the accident couldn't have come at a worse time. The Friday before the crash, B.B.'s insurance on the bus had been dropped. He took the risk of operating over the weekend and renewing the policy on Monday. B.B.'s liability was settled at just under $100,000, it took years to pay off the debt. He also had to get a new bus, which he bought from Skyliner for $27,000. The new bus, named "Titan," served B.B. and the band for the next 7 years until it also met with ill fortune.
The new bus marked a transition in B.B.'s career. He had a loyal following and was a major artist in his field. He married his second wife, Sue Hall, on June 4, 1958. He had met Sue in his home town of Indianola, at Club Ebony, where Sue's mother was the manager. Sue was 15 years younger than B.B. and traveled with him constantly for 6 months until they bought a house in Los Angeles. Sue began making a home there, but B.B. was rarely in town. As was the case in his first marriage, the tension of B.B. constantly on the road drove the couple to break up. B.B. and Sue King were divorced in 1966, which he responded to by recording his biggest hit song,"The Thrill Is Gone," - from Live at the Apollo, ( 254 K, 23 sec.) Copyright ©, GRP records, 1991.The birth of Rock & Roll music made stars of many black performers such as Little Richard, Fats Domino, James Brown and Chuck Berry. Unfortunately for B.B., race music remained isolated from mainstream white America. Dispite changing his booking agency and switching to ABC records in the early 1960's, B.B. was unable to find an opening to the mainstream which many lesser artists had. Although the change from Kent to ABC looked promising, ABC did not understand his music. B.B. was frustrated, prior to 1968 he had made no more than two appearances before white audiences, and both were disasters. Despite the setbacks, B.B.'s music was better than ever during this period of this time, here's a sample of a B.B. classic, first recorded in the early 1960's,
,"Sweet Sixteen," - from Why I Sing the Blues, (155 K, 14 sec.) Copyright ©, MCA records, 1992.
Around 1965, the final barriers that kept blues as race music began falling down. The change began at the Newport Folk Festival where white America first heard the music of Sun House and Mississippi John Hurt. Also performing that day was a new group called the Butterfield Blues Band. With Paul Butterfield on harp and Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield on guitar, the Butterfield Blues Band developed a strong national following. In 1965 Elektra records released the first Butterfield Blues Band album and it gained wide popularity in white Middle America. The new excitement generated by the band with guitar playing of Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield created curiosity about the origins of their music. Countless times the were asked, "Where did you learn to play that way?" Both guitarists answered honestly, "By copying B.B.'s licks." People looked at them blankly, "B.B. who?" "The real monster," Bishop and Bloomfield would reply, "B.B. King." *
After mainstream America had finally heard of B.B. King, two new events occurred in his career when all the world seemed ready for him, a hit record and a new manager. The record was the Roy Hawkins song, "The Thrill Is Gone," which B.B. had recorded in response to his divorce with his wife Sue King in 1966. In the 18 months following the peak popularity of "The Thrill Is Gone," B.B.'s intinerary changed completely. The chitlin circuit gave way to a combination of jazz clubs and rock palaces, such as the Fillmore East. This new market also expanded to include college concerts and the dining rooms of luxury resort hotels. In 1969, B.B. made his first network TV appearance on the "Tonight Show," a lucky break provided by Flip Wilson who had been filling in for Johnny Carson. With all his new triumphs, the most symbolic was his appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1971. Playing on the Sullivan show was a sign that a new performer had arrived with the American public.
On June 29, 1973, B.B. was the master of ceremonies at an event held at the Philharmonic Hall, New York. The show brought together many masters of the blues; "Big Mama" Thorton, Jay McShann, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup and Muddy Waters. A sample of B.B. as MC of the show can be heard on the lead-in to the track, "They Call Me Mr. Cleanhead," - from Live at Newport in New York, (114K, 10 sec.) Copyright ©, Buddah records, 1989.B.B.'s new manger was Sidney A. Seidenberg, a New York show business accountant, who up until 1968 had been B.B.'s book keeper. Seidenberg was able to re-negotiate contracts and get major bookings for B.B. that had been impossible with prior management. In 1973 B.B. dissolved his partnership with Seidenberg because he felt that Sid was neglecting him in favor of Gladys Knight and the Pips. B.B. became his own manager, but soon realized that he needed Seidenberg back. Seidenberg also needed B.B. back, as he had lost Gladys, so in 1977 B.B. and Sid got back together and the partnership continues today.
B.B. King feels that the most important aspect of being a blues artist is the craft of performing before a live audience. He has tryed to pattern himself after the great bandleader, saxophonist and singer, Louis Jordon. One of B.B.'s most famous punch lines, which he borrowed from Jordan, can be heard live in the song,"How Blue Can You Get?," - from Why I Sing the Blues, ( 369 K, 34 sec.) Copyright ©, MCA records, 1992. Another good example of live B.B. King is the song,"Nobody Loves Me But My Mother," - from Blues Summit, (160 K, 15 sec.) Copyright ©, MCA records, 1993.
How did B.B. King get from the chitlin circuit to the living rooms of Middle America? The complete answer is quite complex, B.B.'s success was not isolated, he rode in on top of a wave of sudden popularity for urban blues music. The rise of urban blues music gives us only part of the answer, consider that even two years after white America got the blues, they had still not heard of B.B. King. Yet when he arrived on the scene, the King came to his throne as the true heir whose identity had finally been revealed. Long live the King, may we all be so privileged as to enjoy the man and his music for many more years to come. 
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