The B.B. King Reader: Six Decades of Commentary

by Richard Kostelanetz

B.B. King is a national treasure. For more than five decades, he has been the consummate blues performer. His unique guitar playing, powerful vocals, and repertoire of songs have taken him from tiny Itta Bena, Mississippi, to worldwide renown. In this comprehensive volume, the best articles, interviews and reviews about B.B. King's life and career have been gathered. Learn how he first made his mark as a disc jockey in Memphis hawking “Pepticon” elixir and taking the moniker of the “Beale Street Blues Boy”; trace his early tours and recordings; see him be swept up in the blues revival; and finally, enjoy his fame as the greatest living exponent of the blues style.

348 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2005

Reviews

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a revised, updated and expanded edition of a book the contains 18 essays about B.B.King, one of the legends of American Blues.
Some of the essays are interviews with King. Other essays detail his development - in exacting detail - as a musician (a discussion of notes and cords). There is a discography and an extensive bibliography.
This edition came out in 1997 - -it's 18 years old.
I wish there was a more recent one.

[Ronn · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I love the subject, much of the information is repetitive and not particularly informative unless you have never read anything about BB King at all. Read BB's autobiography instead.