I was lucky to have seen BB King in concert once in my life. It was in Madrid and it was a benefit concert he was taking part in for the Nelson Mandela Children's Foundation. He was already aged, in his 80s but his interactions with the crowd and his humor were authentic and vibrant.
During his legendary career he collaborated with many other artists leaving us some memorable duets. Some of his most famous duets include:
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"The Thrill Is Gone" with Tracy Chapman: B.B. King's iconic rendition of "The Thrill Is Gone" with Tracy Chapman at the David Letterman Show in 1997 is one of his most famous duets. The performance showcased King's poignant guitar playing and Chapman's soulful vocals.
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"When Love Comes to Town" with U2: B.B. King teamed up with the rock band U2 for the song "When Love Comes to Town." This collaboration was featured on U2's 1988 album "Rattle and Hum" . Here you can appreciate both younger version voices of Bono and Missisipi born and bred gruffy voice's version by The King!
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"Is You Is, or Is You Ain't (My Baby)" with Dr. John: B.B. King and Dr. John joined forces for this jazzy blues duet on King's album "Deuces Wild" (1997). Though the Youtube video below does not show them playing (in fact I'm going to argue it's better this way cos this magical creation is for the ears with the eyes closed).The song features King's signature guitar licks and Dr. John's piano and vocals. Just can's get enough of the familiar dialogue singing between BB King and Dr John. A true gem.
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Riding with the King with Eric Clapton: B.B. King and Eric Clapton, both world class renowned guitarists, collaborated on Riding with the King. Definitely a scenic music video with a Cadillac and fun story-lyrics. A true demonstration of guitar prowess as well as star performing power by both. Again, I love when BB King laces songs, guitar singing with words, with soliloquy and with story-telling!
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"Paying the Cost to Be the Boss" with The Rolling Stones: In particular, you can appreciate Mick Jagger moulding his voice to blues vibes certainly holding his own. The combination of King's blues expertise and the Stones' rock and roll energy made for an unforgettable moment. Unfortunately, I could not find a video but, isn't music for the ears?
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"Rock This House" with Elton John: B.B. King and Elton John collaborated on "Rock This House" for King's album "Deuces Wild." Elton John's piano and vocals combined with King's guitar skills created a dynamic blues-rock duet. This song is a joyful, happy swing-like melody which highlights both artists versatilities and pure genius.
These duets show the gift BB King was as artists and guitarist such that on his way or in collaborations there was magnificent chemistry and memorable art was produced. Hope you liked the article as much as I did when I prepared it..
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