What do you think?
Rate this book
King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King
"No one worked harder than B.B. No one inspired more up-and-coming artists. No one did more to spread the gospel of the blues."--President Barack Obama
"He is without a doubt the most important artist the blues has ever produced."--Eric ClaptonRiley "Blues Boy" King (1925-2015) was born into deep poverty in Jim Crow Mississippi. Wrenched away from his sharecropper father, B.B. lost his mother at age ten, leaving him more or less alone. Music became his emancipation from exhausting toil in the fields. Inspired by a local minister's guitar and by the records of Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker, encouraged by his cousin, the established blues man Bukka White, B.B. taught his guitar to sing in the unique solo style that, along with his relentless work ethic and humanity, became his trademark. In turn, generations of artists claimed him as inspiration, from Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton to Carlos Santana and the Edge.
King of the Blues presents the vibrant life and times of a trailblazing giant. Witness to dark prejudice and lynching in his youth, B.B. performed incessantly (some 15,000 concerts in 90 countries over nearly 60 years)--in some real way his means of escaping his past. Several of his concerts, including his landmark gig at Chicago's Cook County Jail, endure in legend to this day. His career roller-coasted between adulation and relegation, but he always rose back up. At the same time, his story reveals the many ways record companies took advantage of artists, especially those of color.
Daniel de Visé has interviewed almost every surviving member of B.B. King's inner circle--family, band members, retainers, managers, and more--and their voices and memories enrich and enliven the life of this Mississippi blues titan, whom his contemporary Bobby "Blue" Bland simply called "the man."
"He is without a doubt the most important artist the blues has ever produced."--Eric ClaptonRiley "Blues Boy" King (1925-2015) was born into deep poverty in Jim Crow Mississippi. Wrenched away from his sharecropper father, B.B. lost his mother at age ten, leaving him more or less alone. Music became his emancipation from exhausting toil in the fields. Inspired by a local minister's guitar and by the records of Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker, encouraged by his cousin, the established blues man Bukka White, B.B. taught his guitar to sing in the unique solo style that, along with his relentless work ethic and humanity, became his trademark. In turn, generations of artists claimed him as inspiration, from Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton to Carlos Santana and the Edge.
King of the Blues presents the vibrant life and times of a trailblazing giant. Witness to dark prejudice and lynching in his youth, B.B. performed incessantly (some 15,000 concerts in 90 countries over nearly 60 years)--in some real way his means of escaping his past. Several of his concerts, including his landmark gig at Chicago's Cook County Jail, endure in legend to this day. His career roller-coasted between adulation and relegation, but he always rose back up. At the same time, his story reveals the many ways record companies took advantage of artists, especially those of color.
Daniel de Visé has interviewed almost every surviving member of B.B. King's inner circle--family, band members, retainers, managers, and more--and their voices and memories enrich and enliven the life of this Mississippi blues titan, whom his contemporary Bobby "Blue" Bland simply called "the man."
496 pages, Hardcover
First published October 5, 2021
63 people are currently reading
471 people want to read
About the author
Daniel de Visé
7 books63 followersDaniel de Visé is a writer and journalist. His books have been translated into Spanish, German, Dutch, Italian, and Estonian. A graduate of Wesleyan and Northwestern universities, he has worked at The Washington Post, USA Today, the Miami Herald and four other newspapers. He shared a 2001 team Pulitzer Prize and garnered more than two dozen other national and regional journalism awards. His investigative reporting twice led to the release of wrongly convicted men from life terms in prison. His first book, I Forgot To Remember (with Su Meck, Simon & Schuster, 2014), began as a front-page article de Visé wrote for the Washington Post in 2011. His second book, Andy & Don (Simon & Schuster, 2015), began as a journalistic exploration into the storied career of his late brother-in-law, Don Knotts. Andy & Don is now in its eleventh paperback printing. His third book, The Comeback (Grove Atlantic, 2018), rekindled a childhood obsession with professional cycling and the sport's forgotten hero, Greg LeMond. The Comeback inspired Congress to award LeMond its highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, in December 2020. His fourth book, King of the Blues, honors a lifelong passion for collecting, performing and writing about music. King of the Blues was longlisted for the 2022 PEN America award in biography. King of the Blues inspired his fifth book, The Blues Brothers, a jubilant return to his hometown of Chicago.
Daniel is married to Sophie Yarborough, an editor at The Washington Post. They and their children live in Maryland. Contact Daniel at ddevise [at] gmail.com
Daniel is married to Sophie Yarborough, an editor at The Washington Post. They and their children live in Maryland. Contact Daniel at ddevise [at] gmail.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
July 9, 2025
King of the Blues is a thoroughly researched biography of the greatest of the Blues legends, B.B. king, who could make make his guitar (they were all named Lucille) sing like a human voice. The Thrill may be gone, but De Vise’ book brings him back to life, detailing every step from his early years in the segregated Jim Crow Mississippi to his later years when he was awarded a star on Hollywood Boulevard and acknowledged as the forerunner to so many later musicians in rock, soul, and the Blues.
This biography tells therefore not just King’s personal story, but also the history of the Civil Rights Movement and the history of modern music, all three stories deeply intertwined. It is indeed hard to fathom how much change took place throughout King’s long life from a time his band was not welcome in hotels and restaurants and he couldn’t get play on radio stations to the time he found acclaim and recognition. It is thus a story of how far not just a King traveled but how long and painful a road this country traveled in just one lifetime.
De Vise’s book does not focus solely on social progress though, but is steeped in musical history from the husking on street corners to the birth of rock and roll. Later, the story traces the Blues in England from the skiffle craze to a band named after a song by another American Bluesman brought the Blues back to the States (The Rolling Stones).
Though King toured relentlessly 200-300 gigs a year, his money disappeared as quickly as it came and he was eternally hunted by the IRS and by his gambling addiction. As the book makes clear, he didn’t make real money until late in his career with new management. And, oddly, with the itch to gamble, he settled in Las Vegas.
Though King was rumored to be infertile and did not father children with his wives, he acknowledged at least fifteen children, many of whom later fought over his estate.
A fascinating read no matter if you read for the music history, the social history, or the nitty gritty details of King’s life.
This biography tells therefore not just King’s personal story, but also the history of the Civil Rights Movement and the history of modern music, all three stories deeply intertwined. It is indeed hard to fathom how much change took place throughout King’s long life from a time his band was not welcome in hotels and restaurants and he couldn’t get play on radio stations to the time he found acclaim and recognition. It is thus a story of how far not just a King traveled but how long and painful a road this country traveled in just one lifetime.
De Vise’s book does not focus solely on social progress though, but is steeped in musical history from the husking on street corners to the birth of rock and roll. Later, the story traces the Blues in England from the skiffle craze to a band named after a song by another American Bluesman brought the Blues back to the States (The Rolling Stones).
Though King toured relentlessly 200-300 gigs a year, his money disappeared as quickly as it came and he was eternally hunted by the IRS and by his gambling addiction. As the book makes clear, he didn’t make real money until late in his career with new management. And, oddly, with the itch to gamble, he settled in Las Vegas.
Though King was rumored to be infertile and did not father children with his wives, he acknowledged at least fifteen children, many of whom later fought over his estate.
A fascinating read no matter if you read for the music history, the social history, or the nitty gritty details of King’s life.
December 6, 2025
4.5 stars
"On September 10, 1970 [during a recorded concert inside Chicago's infamous Cook County Jail], 'B.B.' King stood on the cusp of his forty-fifth birthday. In those forty-five years, Riley B. King had risen from penniless sharecropper to sidewalk busker to Memphis [radio] deejay to chart-topping singer to 'King of the Blues.' Guitar heroics defined popular music in 1970, and B.B. King was the first guitar hero . . . Looking out across the sea of faces 'made me sad and glad,' King recalled. 'Sad that so many brothers were behind bars, glad that I was reaching out to my own people.' Such moments reminded B.B. of the miles he had traveled and of the sun-bleached sharecropper cabin where his journey had begun." -- on pages 1 and 4
If the persistent glitches on this site from the last few days would cease I might actually be able to post a review. Anyone else experiencing their content not being saved beyond a few sentences during composition, and then being unceremoniously logged out when attempting to 'save' ?
"On September 10, 1970 [during a recorded concert inside Chicago's infamous Cook County Jail], 'B.B.' King stood on the cusp of his forty-fifth birthday. In those forty-five years, Riley B. King had risen from penniless sharecropper to sidewalk busker to Memphis [radio] deejay to chart-topping singer to 'King of the Blues.' Guitar heroics defined popular music in 1970, and B.B. King was the first guitar hero . . . Looking out across the sea of faces 'made me sad and glad,' King recalled. 'Sad that so many brothers were behind bars, glad that I was reaching out to my own people.' Such moments reminded B.B. of the miles he had traveled and of the sun-bleached sharecropper cabin where his journey had begun." -- on pages 1 and 4
If the persistent glitches on this site from the last few days would cease I might actually be able to post a review. Anyone else experiencing their content not being saved beyond a few sentences during composition, and then being unceremoniously logged out when attempting to 'save' ?
April 25, 2022
In this extensively researched biography, which involved interviews with family, band members, other musicians, friends, managers and others, Daniel De Visé has written a biography about one of the all-time great musicians, B.B. King. It is more than a biography of one man, his art and his calling, it is a presentation of times, places, and ways of living, many that still exist in this country, which were integral to forming King's life. In meticulous detail De Visé documents the early, disjointed life of King’s childhood and young adulthood, beginning with a genealogy of King’s family, going back to his father, Albert King, who was born in 1907. “The King family crisscrossed Mississippi in a perennial search for farm work … Events tore Albert’s family asunder.” This would be a pattern of life for generations of former slaves and their descendants, searching for work, (hard farm work, under dreadful conditions that would not enable them to financially advance or pull themselves out from under someone else's control) and resulting events (illness, death, material loss of home and belongings) that would tear families apart. It was rare to find cohesive, stable units of family and friends who could help financially and emotionally. What De Visé brilliantly achieves in charting the life of the King family are the effects of slavery, legally abolished but de facto not abolished. There was a multilayered economic and social system that had existed and was still in place. African American people were existing to exist, to find work to keep on working. Within this history De Visé weaves facts about African music that were the roots of what became known as The Blues, other forms of African American music, and widely influential in many types of American music.
As for B.B. King's connection to music, it was providential that people entered the young boy’s life and sparked something that was latently there, a talent for music that became the passionate linchpin in his life. ”His first guitar was probably a diddley bow, a single-stringed concoction that a penniless sharecropper could fashion from flotsam … A diddley bow was a length of wire stretched right between two nails hammered into a board. The wire might come from the head of a broom. Folklorist Alan Lomax believed the diddley bow was descended from the ancient African mouth bow … Lomax believed the diddley bow … traveled with slaves to the United States and served as ‘a crucial step in the birth of the blues.’”
Recurrent facets in King's life were women, loneliness, hard grueling work, persistence against great odds in every part of his life, lack of formal musical training, and the foundational consequences of racism. Throughout his life he suffered physical and emotional effects from serendipitous physical injuries that had taken place in his youth. De Visé charts all of it, the ups and downs, the wrangling with managers and promoters, the road trips, the performances, King’s intuitive connection with audiences, and the historical influence and legacy that his work has had on younger musicians, who were drawn to his distinctive playing, singing and creating. B.B. King died in 2015, 89 years old, and his musical legacy is as solid as ever. The thrill is far from gone, certainly not for this fan, and others, it is more intricately radiant having understood where the greatness came from.
Reviewed by Sheryn Morris, Librarian, Literature & Fiction
As for B.B. King's connection to music, it was providential that people entered the young boy’s life and sparked something that was latently there, a talent for music that became the passionate linchpin in his life. ”His first guitar was probably a diddley bow, a single-stringed concoction that a penniless sharecropper could fashion from flotsam … A diddley bow was a length of wire stretched right between two nails hammered into a board. The wire might come from the head of a broom. Folklorist Alan Lomax believed the diddley bow was descended from the ancient African mouth bow … Lomax believed the diddley bow … traveled with slaves to the United States and served as ‘a crucial step in the birth of the blues.’”
Recurrent facets in King's life were women, loneliness, hard grueling work, persistence against great odds in every part of his life, lack of formal musical training, and the foundational consequences of racism. Throughout his life he suffered physical and emotional effects from serendipitous physical injuries that had taken place in his youth. De Visé charts all of it, the ups and downs, the wrangling with managers and promoters, the road trips, the performances, King’s intuitive connection with audiences, and the historical influence and legacy that his work has had on younger musicians, who were drawn to his distinctive playing, singing and creating. B.B. King died in 2015, 89 years old, and his musical legacy is as solid as ever. The thrill is far from gone, certainly not for this fan, and others, it is more intricately radiant having understood where the greatness came from.
Reviewed by Sheryn Morris, Librarian, Literature & Fiction
May 31, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Mr de Vise obviously put a ton of effort & research into this book. This is quite likely the only B.B. King book most fans will need. Extremely detailed, from childhood to death, & doesn't seek to cover up the artist's personal shortcomings. Has a pretty detailed discography of all but the public domain stuff. The author makes an excellent case for why Mr. King matters. I also appreciate the somewhat explicit descriptions of Racism that the once known as "greatest blues guitarist in the world" had to deal with.
It's past time for the American public to truly know how inappropriately African Americans were (and are) treated, especially in the South. While I tend to find the childhood sections of biographies the least interesting, the author successfully builds a case for how "Jim Crow" America shaped B.B.'s personality; & most of the time not to Mr King's benefit; including but not at all limited to financially.
The author both discusses the artists who influenced Mr King (T-Bone Walker, Bukka White, Lonnie Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charlie Christian), & the artists (many of whom were British Rock guitarists) that Mr King influenced: Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and many more.
The author also discusses how the USA major labels really didn't know how to market BB's music, & how that resulted in some sub par albums & poor sales at times. The Bihari Brothers at Modern probably produced BB's finest work in the 50's, but due to both the Bihari's lack of marketing skills & racism, Mr King made little money from hit after hit in days of 45 RPM singles.
Tons of information for fans.
There were 2 things I didn't like as much:
1. There was more information about his grandparents & his childhood that I would have preferred. The 1st 15% or so of the book took me longer to read than the rest of it combined.
2. I never felt like I emotionally connected with Mr. King, despite a huge amount of information; some of which was personal.
In general, I would recommend this book for fans, or those deciding whether to become fans. Many 50's blues fans think mainly of the Chess artists: Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf. Willie Dixon, etc; but Mr de Vise makes a case for Mr. King having equal importance (& some British Guitar heroes are quoted as agreeing).
Mr de Vise obviously put a ton of effort & research into this book. This is quite likely the only B.B. King book most fans will need. Extremely detailed, from childhood to death, & doesn't seek to cover up the artist's personal shortcomings. Has a pretty detailed discography of all but the public domain stuff. The author makes an excellent case for why Mr. King matters. I also appreciate the somewhat explicit descriptions of Racism that the once known as "greatest blues guitarist in the world" had to deal with.
It's past time for the American public to truly know how inappropriately African Americans were (and are) treated, especially in the South. While I tend to find the childhood sections of biographies the least interesting, the author successfully builds a case for how "Jim Crow" America shaped B.B.'s personality; & most of the time not to Mr King's benefit; including but not at all limited to financially.
The author both discusses the artists who influenced Mr King (T-Bone Walker, Bukka White, Lonnie Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charlie Christian), & the artists (many of whom were British Rock guitarists) that Mr King influenced: Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and many more.
The author also discusses how the USA major labels really didn't know how to market BB's music, & how that resulted in some sub par albums & poor sales at times. The Bihari Brothers at Modern probably produced BB's finest work in the 50's, but due to both the Bihari's lack of marketing skills & racism, Mr King made little money from hit after hit in days of 45 RPM singles.
Tons of information for fans.
There were 2 things I didn't like as much:
1. There was more information about his grandparents & his childhood that I would have preferred. The 1st 15% or so of the book took me longer to read than the rest of it combined.
2. I never felt like I emotionally connected with Mr. King, despite a huge amount of information; some of which was personal.
In general, I would recommend this book for fans, or those deciding whether to become fans. Many 50's blues fans think mainly of the Chess artists: Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf. Willie Dixon, etc; but Mr de Vise makes a case for Mr. King having equal importance (& some British Guitar heroes are quoted as agreeing).
December 1, 2021
I received a free electronic ARC of this excellent biography of B. B. King from Netgalley, Daniel de Vise, and Grove Press. This is a fully scripted biography of B. B. - and of the Blues, a strictly American musical genre as it spread to encompass the world, gathering fervent enthusiasts by the millions. Over his many years of touring and encouraging others, B. B. had a major role in introducing the blues to the masses, American and otherwise.
My husband and I were grateful to see B.B.'s show live in concert a couple of times over our various lifetimes. Southwesterners, it was many years before he made it into our bailiwick, but it was certainly worth the wait. In his concert in El Paso Texas, the power dropped out midway through a song at the Plaza Theatre of Performing Arts Center, and BB just grabbed another gear and kept on singing. Seated in the balcony of the huge El Paso, Texas art center, we couldn't tell the difference.
We were very lucky to have had him with us for so long. And he was willing to get out there and spread the blues long after most of us would had retired into lazy old age. For that, I am most grateful. The singers and guitarists he influenced over those many years of spreading the news have in turn scattered the blues into an international audience, and a genre that will survive long after many popular styles of music are forgotten. Almost 500 pages - 7388 kb - this is not a fast read, but it is certainly an important and un-put-downable reading marathon. I absorbed most of it while listening to the master. It was a very good week! He is greatly missed.
pub date October 5, 2o21
Grove Press
Reviewed on October 11, 2021 at Goodreads, Netgalley, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
My husband and I were grateful to see B.B.'s show live in concert a couple of times over our various lifetimes. Southwesterners, it was many years before he made it into our bailiwick, but it was certainly worth the wait. In his concert in El Paso Texas, the power dropped out midway through a song at the Plaza Theatre of Performing Arts Center, and BB just grabbed another gear and kept on singing. Seated in the balcony of the huge El Paso, Texas art center, we couldn't tell the difference.
We were very lucky to have had him with us for so long. And he was willing to get out there and spread the blues long after most of us would had retired into lazy old age. For that, I am most grateful. The singers and guitarists he influenced over those many years of spreading the news have in turn scattered the blues into an international audience, and a genre that will survive long after many popular styles of music are forgotten. Almost 500 pages - 7388 kb - this is not a fast read, but it is certainly an important and un-put-downable reading marathon. I absorbed most of it while listening to the master. It was a very good week! He is greatly missed.
pub date October 5, 2o21
Grove Press
Reviewed on October 11, 2021 at Goodreads, Netgalley, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
October 17, 2021
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.
KING OF THE BLUES: THE RISE AND REIGN OF B.B. KING by author Daniel de Vise is a full length biography of the entire lifetime of the legendary blues guitarist and vocalist who has quite possibly been the most influential electric blues guitarist in the history of recorded music.
B.B.’s early years are sketchy at best, and the author does his best to fill in this part of his life with incomplete and inaccurate information available from that time period, also including differing accounts to enable the reader to try to decide which account is most believable.
Success was definitely not overnight for the hard working bluesman, and well known obstacles placed in the path of black recording artists from his early (and unfortunately later) days denied him the world wide success he eventually attained, and not surprisingly took place when the focus on him as an artist made him a guitarist first and foremost, along with albums involving producers and musicians who helped to create his best recordings of his lengthy career.
Author de Vise also does well at giving the details of the unfortunate events in the artist’s final years, illustrating how B.B. much like an aging athlete was unable to know when to retire, eventually reaching the decision with no time left to enjoy retirement or to spend time with family and friends.
Excellent discography section includes the author’s recommendations (that I find myself in agreement with for the most part) only adds to the quality of this book, making it an essential addition to the library of any blues aficionado.
5 stars.
KING OF THE BLUES: THE RISE AND REIGN OF B.B. KING by author Daniel de Vise is a full length biography of the entire lifetime of the legendary blues guitarist and vocalist who has quite possibly been the most influential electric blues guitarist in the history of recorded music.
B.B.’s early years are sketchy at best, and the author does his best to fill in this part of his life with incomplete and inaccurate information available from that time period, also including differing accounts to enable the reader to try to decide which account is most believable.
Success was definitely not overnight for the hard working bluesman, and well known obstacles placed in the path of black recording artists from his early (and unfortunately later) days denied him the world wide success he eventually attained, and not surprisingly took place when the focus on him as an artist made him a guitarist first and foremost, along with albums involving producers and musicians who helped to create his best recordings of his lengthy career.
Author de Vise also does well at giving the details of the unfortunate events in the artist’s final years, illustrating how B.B. much like an aging athlete was unable to know when to retire, eventually reaching the decision with no time left to enjoy retirement or to spend time with family and friends.
Excellent discography section includes the author’s recommendations (that I find myself in agreement with for the most part) only adds to the quality of this book, making it an essential addition to the library of any blues aficionado.
5 stars.
December 3, 2023
Una biografía extensa, detallada y con numerosas fuentes para aproximarnos a la figura del rey del blues y su contexto histórico, social y económico. Totalmente recomendable.
September 2, 2022
Way too much exaggeration in the writing style for my liking. A biased tendency towards BB’s music (downplaying others) which I found to be ignorant especially when talking about the other blues kings, who were as equally innovative and influential as BB was.
Not a terrible read though, as I did learn a lot about his personality and events in his life.
I don’t know maybe I enjoy more of a unbiased biography and one that is a little more fast paced. There was a lot of waffling on throughout this book that I just could not stand, he would introduce every new musician or worker for bb with their date of birth, where they were born I DONT CARE about BB’s second cousins place of birth, their favourite food and sauce I just wanna learn about BB fucken hell m8
Not a total waste of time or money though 🤷♂️
Not a terrible read though, as I did learn a lot about his personality and events in his life.
I don’t know maybe I enjoy more of a unbiased biography and one that is a little more fast paced. There was a lot of waffling on throughout this book that I just could not stand, he would introduce every new musician or worker for bb with their date of birth, where they were born I DONT CARE about BB’s second cousins place of birth, their favourite food and sauce I just wanna learn about BB fucken hell m8
Not a total waste of time or money though 🤷♂️
March 13, 2022
B.B. King lived a very interesting life. While he spent a large portion of his life respected he had financial issues - taxes and gambling. Even when struggling he always made sure his musicians were paid, even if their accommodations were not the best until his nephew pointed it out. His life was one the road and he wouldn’t stop until his body said no more. I am honored to have seen him live once and it is a cherished memory.
How did I find this book? It jumped out at me on CloudLibrary's offerings. I got to see BB King live in 2001 and he was a great performer even though he just sat in a chair and played. I wish I could have seen him when he was younger and more energetic. Now time to learn more about the man.
How did I find this book? It jumped out at me on CloudLibrary's offerings. I got to see BB King live in 2001 and he was a great performer even though he just sat in a chair and played. I wish I could have seen him when he was younger and more energetic. Now time to learn more about the man.
April 3, 2022
Sad start to life and sad ending. This book goes into great details about BB King's rise as a Blues musician; and adds in a lot of details about those around him and their own stories. It skirts around his many claimed/adopted children. Somewhat a life of Blues in every sense
April 22, 2024
A good solid biography. I stayed up all night reading the final 300 pages--not that it was so thrilling I couldn't put it down--I just felt comfortably immersed in the music scene of the last 60 or 70 years.
The book was well-researched. The author's musicology expertise was solid, and his descriptions of the nuances of blues styles generally, and King's style shifts specifically, were descriptive and made clear enough for a layman (such as myself) to understand.
As for Riley "B. B." King himself, one thing kept presenting itself again and again throughout the book, his work ethic! The man stayed on the road performing, day in and day out, 300 plus days a year for most all of his life. If you had an engagement, you showed up and played. Period. It didn't matter if the car broke down and you had to walk several miles in the rain with your instrument in hand . . .
The implication was that he learned his work ethic from his father.
A funny part in the book is when his father seemed to be surprised when B. B. mentioned making enough money so that he might quit work. His father couldn't comprehend not working. Working was simply a part of life, something a man did every day, possibly with the exception of Sundays.
Of course, it wasn't all work when you have an extreme passion, as B. B. did for playing the blues and perfecting his guitar "twings."
B. B. and "Lucille" influenced a ton of musicians of the past few decades, Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Keith Richards, Hendrix, Jimmy Page . . . And he crossed paths with most everyone in the business as he was coming up, John Lee Hooker, Miles Davis, along with many other blues and jazz greats. He met Elvis, Ike Turner, and later, several Presidents and other dignitaries.
B.B. was known for being humble and respectful of everyone, including fans.
And that respect was returned to him. He wasn't perfect. He was a man like any other. But he was King of the Blues!
The book was well-researched. The author's musicology expertise was solid, and his descriptions of the nuances of blues styles generally, and King's style shifts specifically, were descriptive and made clear enough for a layman (such as myself) to understand.
As for Riley "B. B." King himself, one thing kept presenting itself again and again throughout the book, his work ethic! The man stayed on the road performing, day in and day out, 300 plus days a year for most all of his life. If you had an engagement, you showed up and played. Period. It didn't matter if the car broke down and you had to walk several miles in the rain with your instrument in hand . . .
The implication was that he learned his work ethic from his father.
A funny part in the book is when his father seemed to be surprised when B. B. mentioned making enough money so that he might quit work. His father couldn't comprehend not working. Working was simply a part of life, something a man did every day, possibly with the exception of Sundays.
Of course, it wasn't all work when you have an extreme passion, as B. B. did for playing the blues and perfecting his guitar "twings."
B. B. and "Lucille" influenced a ton of musicians of the past few decades, Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Keith Richards, Hendrix, Jimmy Page . . . And he crossed paths with most everyone in the business as he was coming up, John Lee Hooker, Miles Davis, along with many other blues and jazz greats. He met Elvis, Ike Turner, and later, several Presidents and other dignitaries.
B.B. was known for being humble and respectful of everyone, including fans.
And that respect was returned to him. He wasn't perfect. He was a man like any other. But he was King of the Blues!
September 30, 2022
Tough to review. I think the author worked hard to research and collect a great deal about BB’s life, but I felt that many of the other contemporary artists and blues, jazz, and gospel pioneers were not given their due. The author strives to make a case that BB is the source of the single note sustained playing style. Not sure, but I’m probably deeper into the various blues influences than the author. As an aside, if you ever have a chance to attend a lecture give by the Rev. Billy Wirths on the formation of this defining music, do it. Some parts of the book drag with details of names and places, but around page 250, a few parts really soared. The ringing recreation of BB’s breakthrough at the Filmore was just gorgeously done. And, I learned that the BB I saw live was, not surprisingly, in declining health. I’ll be interested to make sure to listen to some of the older recordings. Oh, nice discography in the back.
December 1, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this book. The author definitely did a lot of research and was thorough. I loved the mentions of other musicians throughout Mr. King's career. I felt sad and angry with the blatant racism and cruelty he (and all other POC) endured. I learned a lot from this book and overall would recommend it to anyone who enjoys BB King or the blues.
With that said, there are a few things that I wish could be changed about the book. Firstly, it's soooooo long! And the reason it's so long is that it has some information about BB that, if it were me I'd be mortified. Do we really need to know his childhood masturbating practices or later ED issues? No. Thank you, we do not. We also don't need minute details of his failing health at the end. It made me sad to know how much he suffered and how greedy his "children " were.
On the other hand, I'm glad the author was honest and didn't sugar coat everything about how he was possibly taken advantage of. Even though he was a womanizing gambler BB seemed to try to take care of his people and was an amazing talented musician who worked really hard to put the blues in the mainstream music industry.
With that said, there are a few things that I wish could be changed about the book. Firstly, it's soooooo long! And the reason it's so long is that it has some information about BB that, if it were me I'd be mortified. Do we really need to know his childhood masturbating practices or later ED issues? No. Thank you, we do not. We also don't need minute details of his failing health at the end. It made me sad to know how much he suffered and how greedy his "children " were.
On the other hand, I'm glad the author was honest and didn't sugar coat everything about how he was possibly taken advantage of. Even though he was a womanizing gambler BB seemed to try to take care of his people and was an amazing talented musician who worked really hard to put the blues in the mainstream music industry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2022
This is a pretty long audiobook, and since I got it from the library and there were people waiting, I couldn't take extra time to listen to it. I wish I had read reviews and skipped the first few chapters, so I wouldn't have had to listen to them last bit at a higher rate and still not finish. Though the biographical info about his grandparents was interesting and an important background to him, because the writing is quite academic feeling, it did not make me want to listen at all outside of my short commute. Once we got into B.B.'s actual life, it was more compelling for longer listening. That said, this book is very well researched and thorough, and I'll likely get the physical book from the library to finish the end part I missed in the audiobook.
April 27, 2022
I revisited B.B.'s early releases part way through the reading of this (thanks, Spotify!), thus making the book come all the more alive for me. I wasn't always a fan of de Visé's style, as he seemed to embellish, or at the very least, take a few hermeneutical liberties. That said, the life of B.B. King was an easy subject to get into. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
August 13, 2022
Just like B.B.'s career, this book went on a little longer than it needed to ... but I learned a lot of B.B.'s career and influence. He was kind of an inscrutable personality, which means it would be difficult to write a biography that truly got to the heart of what kind of person he was ... I admire the author for trying ... I will definitely be seeking out the older recordings, rather than looking at the more contemporary ones.
Read
November 29, 2021B. B. King was one of the most celebrated and talented blues performers of the past century. Daniel de Vise was the perfect author to bring this to light. De Vise a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist, has certainly dug as deeply as anyone ever could to showcase the life and times of King. It was high time this guitar great was honored in this manner, and the extensive research into his career has created a true literary masterpiece.
B. B. King was born Riley B. King. De Vise was shocked that there was no major biography to honor King and his contributions to the world of the blues. Now the world has a definitive biography that will be referred to decades from now. King was born in 1925 into poverty, on a Mississippi plantation, but it was King’s love of music that gave him the most hope and purpose in his young life.
He was influenced by some of the greats such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, T-Bone Walker, Lonnie Johnson and many others. And in turn there were many guitar greats of rock music such as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page who were greatly influenced by King. He began his career around 1946 after leaving his life as a sharecropper and that was when the music began.
All his guitars he named “Lucille” This was in relation to a roadhouse fire and a woman at the center of an altercation. The name reminded him of indiscretion in life and challenges. Every Lucille offered the sweetest music out there, with a career spanning five decades and bestowed upon the blues great were many Grammy awards, along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
There were many layers to King’s life and dreams too, including breaking ground for a fifty-five unit motel as an investment, but that never came to pass. He had more than his share of bad business decisions and advisers who took advantage of his trust. De Vise also looks at his gambling addiction that cost millions, problems with the IRS, and the myth that he may have fathered fifteen children. It was noted he probably was sterile. But it is not any negatives that defined him, rather the musical legacy he left behind, creating millions of fans the world over, selling millions of records and truly living up to his name of King.
B. B. King was born Riley B. King. De Vise was shocked that there was no major biography to honor King and his contributions to the world of the blues. Now the world has a definitive biography that will be referred to decades from now. King was born in 1925 into poverty, on a Mississippi plantation, but it was King’s love of music that gave him the most hope and purpose in his young life.
He was influenced by some of the greats such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, T-Bone Walker, Lonnie Johnson and many others. And in turn there were many guitar greats of rock music such as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page who were greatly influenced by King. He began his career around 1946 after leaving his life as a sharecropper and that was when the music began.
All his guitars he named “Lucille” This was in relation to a roadhouse fire and a woman at the center of an altercation. The name reminded him of indiscretion in life and challenges. Every Lucille offered the sweetest music out there, with a career spanning five decades and bestowed upon the blues great were many Grammy awards, along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
There were many layers to King’s life and dreams too, including breaking ground for a fifty-five unit motel as an investment, but that never came to pass. He had more than his share of bad business decisions and advisers who took advantage of his trust. De Vise also looks at his gambling addiction that cost millions, problems with the IRS, and the myth that he may have fathered fifteen children. It was noted he probably was sterile. But it is not any negatives that defined him, rather the musical legacy he left behind, creating millions of fans the world over, selling millions of records and truly living up to his name of King.
December 25, 2022
This is a very thorough romp through the life of one of the most important blues artists of his and any generation. His influence has been felt even today. The book has a lot of detail of what it was like growing up in the Jim Crow world that was the South in the 1930's, 40's and 50's that Riley King was born into and lived through. His Father left when he was a young boy and he moved around from farm to farm seeking better conditions albeit it seems most of the farms where he lived was owned by progressive (relative to the norm at that time) owners. Keep in mind that lynchings were common in these times, often set up as spectator sport for families. The inclusion of what he went through as a boy growing up in this environment gives a lot of credence to how he lived his life as an adult. He started working at a very young age, picking cotton, doing odd jobs around the farm, working in cotton gins from when he as about 8 years old. This gave him the work ethic that he took on the road, with some years seeing him do in excess of 330 dates a year. We get several conflicting stories of how he came to be known as BB. There are a lot of stories on the road: the drugs, women, cheating club owners and wonderful palatial theatres. BB King rose from dirt poor at birth to an estate worth several million dollars, despite gambling and giving away a bulk of his fortune, when he died. This is a story of America from what some politicians are calling a false narrative. BB King revolutionized the sound of the electric guitar putting it front and centre in his shows, something only a small handful of others had done before. He also is known for inventing the long sustained note in a solo - something emulated by many followers from Eric Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughn and many in between. This is essential reading for anyone wanting a to expand their knowledge of blues music. The book is worth the price of admission just for the extensive discography at the end, something I wish more biographers would do.
March 8, 2025
I've always loved BB King, but somehow sharecropping, Mississippi John Hurt, Muddy Waters, Albert King and the "real" Delta Blues men always seemed more authentic. This is not true! Riley King was born in a sharecropper's shack and picked cotton on the Delta. Every cliche' of the Delta blues men, acoustic and electric applies to BB. In this excellent biography, we learn BB's early life in what were slave conditions to his early career in Memphis alongside Elvis - yes, they knew each other in Memphis in the 50s.
As BB charts hits among 50s "race" recordings, he also sets the standard for authentic blues performance. As he heads upriver from his radio days in West Memphis to the blues clubs of Chicago and the chitlin circuit, we see the rise of a legend equal to and in advance of all the rest. I'm a guitar player and a fan of BB and have always wondered why many friends prefer Albert King, Howlin Wolf and Muddy Waters. I always assumed BB was younger - he wasn't. He was the star of that crowd with chart topping hits and sold out shows even back in the 50s.
I saw BB King in New Haven back in the 80s. I've always felt lucky to have seen the great man in his prime. This book tells his entire life story and confirms what I have always believed. BB King was the king of the Blues, perhaps the greatest practitioner the genre has ever known. Great book, quite readable and easy to enjoy.
As BB charts hits among 50s "race" recordings, he also sets the standard for authentic blues performance. As he heads upriver from his radio days in West Memphis to the blues clubs of Chicago and the chitlin circuit, we see the rise of a legend equal to and in advance of all the rest. I'm a guitar player and a fan of BB and have always wondered why many friends prefer Albert King, Howlin Wolf and Muddy Waters. I always assumed BB was younger - he wasn't. He was the star of that crowd with chart topping hits and sold out shows even back in the 50s.
I saw BB King in New Haven back in the 80s. I've always felt lucky to have seen the great man in his prime. This book tells his entire life story and confirms what I have always believed. BB King was the king of the Blues, perhaps the greatest practitioner the genre has ever known. Great book, quite readable and easy to enjoy.
December 21, 2021
Hate to give this book only three stars given the subject of the book but it really doesn’t deserve more. The book reads mostly like a travel itinerary, especially the last several chapters. Early chapters are much better as we learn of BB’s early life and, more importantly, the development of the Blues. BB comes off as dedicated, addiction-prone, humble and lonely man. His handlers failed him over and over again. But he made some amazingly wonderful music and directly influenced the many great guitarists of the 20th century. Someone ought to create a playlist of the music referenced in the book. As President Obama said when BB passed away: BB may be gone but that thrill will be with us forever. Amen to that.
November 7, 2021
This is a very well written and fascinating record of B B King's life from his days as a sharecropper's son in Mississippi through his rise as "King of the blues" and to his sad and slow decline. The author introduces an ever-changing cast of fascinating characters while clearly and concisely shows King's huge influence on popular music of the 60's and 70's. Though King's life is in one sense triumphant, due to his rise out of poverty toward fame and accomplishment, in another sense it is tragic, plagued buy addictions to sex, gambling and life on the road. It left me feeing glad I have no musical talent, because the life of a musician looks frankly terrible.
November 17, 2021
This book presents an in-depth history of B.B. King’s life, highlighting the difficulties he faced living and growing up in the Mississippi Delta. B.B lived a long time, so the book is comparably long and, at times, a bit of a slog working through the history. It is extremely well researched. Since Lucille played such a significant role in B.B. King’s music, I expected a discourse and photos of the various guitars King called Lucille. Unfortunately, the book has little about King’s gear and guitars and few pictures about the guitars. But that’s not a big loss as the book is about the man and his career.
April 3, 2022
Thoroughly researched biography by a writer who clearly knows blues.
October 7, 2021
This terrific book not only provides a comprehensive survey of B.B. King's many decades of recording and performance, but also captures the passion and creativity of its subject. King dragged himself up from the poverty and ignorance of the Mississppi Delta, making the absolute most of each opportunity that arose. The author has tracked down so many survivors who provide a 3-dimensional portrait of a musical giant who changed the blues, pairing its pain and heart with a liberating melodic instinct. This book will stand the test of time as THE book on a legend.
September 25, 2023
Great Book. Not only do you get a history of BB King, you get a concise history of American and British blues as well as the origins of rock and roll. Timing is such that the book marks the end of the golden age of guitar and the beginning of the overdubbed, overproduced computer generated garbage that currently masquerades as music. A wonderful read.
February 19, 2024
I absolutely loved this book. It took me longer to read than it should have because I had to stop constantly to go listen to the songs. If any book needs a soundtrack it’s this one. If you are at all interested in learning about the history of American music or the shameful legacy of racism in this country, this book is essential.
October 24, 2021
A terrific biography of BB King that is well-written, well-researched, and a joy to read.
November 10, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up
December 20, 2021
Impressed by the thorough research evident and the surprisingly easy readability of this bio. B.B.’s life comes alive in a seemingly unfiltered story line - successes and warts entwined.
January 8, 2022
Good reading about a legendary Blues man!
1/8/2022.
1/8/2022.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews