Las Vegas

Listen

I was fortunate enough to see B.B. King live, on his 80th birthday tour: front row seats at the Indiana University auditorium. It was amazing. He had more energy at 80 than I have now, and sharp as hell. He died yesterday, in Las Vegas, which seems fitting. He belonged in a bright-light city. He was 89 years old. Listen to any of his more than 3 dozen studio albums today. Listen to his live albums. Listen to his collaborations with Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Mark Knopfler, Van Morrison. Even if you're not into the blues or the harmonica, appreciate the fact that King's sad songs were also made for getting your boogie on. One of the best songs to watch/listen to King play when he was a spry 80 was "Nobody Loves Me But My Mother." That man could get down.