B. B. King

INCLUDES 4 BONUS TRACKS

This quintessential release includes one of B.B. King’s finest albums: The Blues (1958), originally released at the onset of King’s career. The Blues marked his second budget-priced LP on the Bihari brothers’ Crown label, and collects a dozen sides King cut for the RPM and Kent labels between 1951 and 1958. This album is distinguished by a raw, ragged feel, which proves refreshing in light of the artist’s subsequent slicker recordings. It has a loose, roadhouse vibe and features King backed by a full band, including horns, piano, harmonica, and a thumping rhythm section. This collector’s edition also includes 4 bonus tracks from the same period. An entertaining mix of booting R&B and blues ballads, this material draws primarily from the Kent singles of that era, including exciting versions of “Hold That Train”, “My Sometime Baby”, and “Treat Me Right”. His work for the RPM label is well represented by the gorgeous big-band sound of “I’m in Love”.

PERSONNEL:

B.B. KING, vocals & guitar, plus:

SIDE A [1-8] & SIDE B [1-6],: The Maxwell Davis Orchestra.

Probable personnel: Maxwell Davis, Jack McVea, Charles Waller, Lorenzo Holden, Bumps Myers, Maurice Simon (ts), Jewell L. Grant (as), Floyd Turnham (bs), Jack “Vernon” Porter (tp), Tommy Tedesco (g),
Red Callender or Ralph Hamilton (b), Willard McDaniel (p),
Jesse Sailes or Jesse Price (d). Unidentified harmonica.
Recorded between 1951 and 1958.

(*) BONUS TRACKS:

SIDE B [7]:
B.B. King (voc & g), Ralph Hamilton (b), Lloyd Glenn (p), Jesse Sailes (d).
Recorded at Radio Recorders studios, Hollywood, March 1960.

SIDE B [8]: B.B. King (voc & g), Johnny Board (t), Lawrence Burdine (a),
Kenny Sands (tp), Ralph Hamilton (b), Millard Lee (p), Ted Curry (d).
Recorded in Los Angeles, California, 1959.

SIDE A

01. WHY DO THINGS HAPPEN TO ME
02. RUBY LEE
03. WHEN MY HEART BEATS LIKE A HAMMER
04. PAST DAY
05. BOOGIE WOOGIE WOMAN
06. EARLY IN THE MORNING
07. I’M IN LOVE (*)
08. MY SOMETIME BABY (*)

SIDE B

01. I WANT TO GET MARRIED
02. THAT AIN’T THE WAY TO DO IT
03. TROUBLES, TROUBLES, TROUBLES
04. DON’T YOU WANT A MAN LIKE ME
05. YOU KNOW I GO FOR YOU
06. WHAT CAN I DO
07. HOLD THAT TRAIN (*)
08. TREAT ME RIGHT (*)