BB and Willie

Aug. 16, 2006

A scheduling conflict in July moved the Willie Nelson concert at Interlcohen to Thursday August 17, creating an American musical icon happenstance. See, on Friday night blues legend B.B. King performs, making it the first time in their 50-plus year musical careers that Nelson and King have performed back-to-back nights at the same venue. If only Interlochen would have booked in Bob Dylan on Saturday night they would have completed the American music icon trifecta (Dylan played Grand Rapids last weekend).
What about the possibility of King and Nelson joining each other on stage for a song or two?
Nelson is performing the next night at in Clarkston at the DTE Energy Theater as he rejoins his tour with John Fogerty, so sticking around for the King concert is out of the question. However, King performs in Ohio on Wednesday night and Thursday is a travel day, so it is possible for him to get to Interlochen in time to join Nelson for a song or two.
So, what do Willie and BB think?
“It is really up to the bus driver,” laughs King in a phone interview. “I have no say in the matter; I just go where the bus takes me. I love Willie and we have recorded together in the past.”

MUTUAL ADMIRERS
King plays guitar and sings on Nelson’s album “Milk Cow Blues” released in 2000. The two perform a duet on King’s signature song “The Thrill Is Gone,” and King adds his legendary guitar talents on one of Nelson’s greatest hit,s “Night Life.”
Nelson is an admirer of King’s as well.
“B.B. is someone I admire greatly; he has had an influence on my music,” said Nelson. “He has had such an influence on so many and I am no exception.”
Nelson and King are important fixtures on the American musical landscape. There are many similarities in their careers. For example, both got their start as radio personalities: King in Mississippi and Nashville and Nelson out in Vancouver, Washington.
They are also part of the first-name club. Simply say Willie or B.B. to even the least knowledgeable fan of music and they know whom you are talking about.
Nelson, who has numerous hits including “Crazy,” “Night Life,” “Hello Walls,” “Funny How Time Slips Away,” “Me and Paul,” “On The Road Again” and “Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground,” has recorded on more than 250 albums and has written more 2,500 songs in a career that spans more than 50 years.
He was virtually born a songwriter.
“I think I was four or five when I started writing poems,” said Nelson. “My parents were spiritual people so we sang a lot of Gospel songs when I was young. I was six when I started playing guitar and I started putting music and melodies to those poems making them into songs.”

CRAZY
During his DJ days Nelson started selling songs and eventually moved to Nashville. While writing songs by day he began touring as Ray Price’s bass player by night. Eventually Patsy Cline sang his song, “Crazy,” which became one of country music’s greatest songs of all time. After a successful stint as a songwriter in the 1960s he launched his solo career in the 1970s. He attributes his distinctive voice to his parents.
“My parents were both vocal coaches,” said Nelson. “But I also learned much from listening to Frank Sinatra who I had the pleasure of performing with on occasion. I have taken a lot from the great singers like George Jones and Bing Crosby.”
In recent years that voice has been for the American farmer. In 1985 he started Farm Aid with John Mellencamp and Neil Young. In 21 years the concert has raised close to $30 million to benefit programs that help preserve the family farm.
“Bob Dylan deserves the credit for this,” said Nelson. “I was in a hotel room in 1984 watching Bob Geldof’s Live Aid when Dylan made the comment about hoping some of the money would go to benefit the farmer. At the time I had no idea the American farmer was in trouble. I checked around and found out that family farmer was on the verge of extinction. One day Illinois Governor Jim Thompson and I were sitting on my tour bus eating some chili and drinking a beer and he told me that problem was an epidemic. He helped me secure the venue at the University of Illinois for the very first Farm Aid.”

SNIT FIT
Dylan’s comments sparked controversy with Geldof. “Dylan displayed a complete lack of understanding of the issues raised by Live Aid. Live Aid was about people losing their lives. There is a radical difference between losing your livelihood and losing your life. It did instigate Farm Aid, which was a good thing in itself, but it was a crass, stupid, and nationalistic thing to say,” states Geldof’s biography, “Is That It?”
Nelson though is grateful for Dylan’s inspiration and is proud of the efforts of Farm Aid.
“Since we started this our mission has been that of the defender of America’s family farmer,” said Nelson. “I am proud that 80 cents of every Farm Aid dollar has gone to programs that support family farmers. We have exceeded the standards set by all of those charity watchdog groups.”
Now 73, Nelson shows no signs of slowing down. He continues to be country music’s “outlaw” and his pot smoking has become legendary. He still loves to perform and often plays five or six encores. In 2001 at Interlochen he had to be escorted offstage after his sixth encore and exceeding the curfew by 30 minutes.
Another signature of Nelson’s is sticking around sometimes for hours to sign autographs and take pictures with the fans.
“Without them what do I have? I owe it all to them. It really is the least that I can do,” said Nelson. “I have come a long way since I sold my first song for $50 and I am grateful for it all.”

B.B.’s BLUES
Born September 16, 1925, Riley B. King is the “King of the Blues,” to millions of fans around the world. He is currently on tour celebrating his 80th birthday and 60 years of performing and recording music that he helped popularize.
It has been rumored that this will be his last tour.
“Son, I never like to say never,” said King. “A lot of people depend on me and I love what I am doing. So as long as I still got it and Lucille is willing I will be out there.”
“Lucille” is King’s trusty custom guitar, by far the most famous guitar in the world. King is considered to be among the greatest to pick up the instrument. A few years ago “Rolling Stone Magazine” selected the 100 greatest guitar players of all time and King ranked third behind Jimi Hendrix and Duane Allman.
So where did the name Lucille come from?
“It was from a gig back in 1949 in Arkansas during the winter and a couple guys started fighting and knocked over the kerosene heater starting the place on fire,” said King. “I realized that I left my guitar inside so I went back in and grabbed it and just about killed myself doing it. I learned that the fight was over a gal named ‘Lucille’ so I named my guitar after her as a reminder never to do anything like that again.”

BLUES PASSION
His passion for the blues grew out of his first job.
“I was paid 35 cents for each 100 pounds of cotton I picked. If you want to know the blues try picking cotton for a living,” laughs King. “I found that playing the guitar and singing the blues actually paid better.”
In the 1940s he earned his living as both a performer and a DJ. He eventually moved to Memphis and in 1946 began hosting an all-black music program. He used the name “The Pepticon Boy” and later “Beale Street Blues Boy” before shortening it to “Blues Boy” and finally just “B.B.”
During the 1950s-’60s King enjoyed much success on the blues and R&B charts, scoring several hits. It would be 1969 before he would hit it big on the pop charts with a remake of Roy Hawkins song, “The Thrill Is Gone.” He continued to enjoy mainstream success in the 1970s with hits, “To Know You Is to Love You” and “I Like to Live the Love.” For the past 55 years King has appeared on the Billboard charts over 100 times.
In 1988 he reached new audiences when a group from Ireland called and asked to jam with him.
“I was a little surprised when Bono from U2 called and said he had written a song for me and wanted me to sing it with them on their new album,” said King.
“I wrote ‘When Love Comes To Town’ as a tribute to B.B. because I wanted him to know and I wanted our fans to know how important he was to our music,” said Bono. “We had him go out on the road with us so that we could introduce him and his music to our fans. Musically it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”
Lots of musicians have paid tribute to King over the years. Eric Claption recorded “Riding With The King,” Even the Beatles mention his name in their song “Dig It.”
So, as B.B. King takes the stage Friday August 18 at Interlochen’s Kresge Auditorioum it will mark is 10,100th live performance (probably a world record). He comes in to Interlochen with a heavy heart, recently losing his son to cancer and his 18-year old great-grandson to a store shooting. He also has been battling bad knees and diabeties. Despite it all he will strap on “Lucille” and take the audience on a ride of lifetime.

Call Interlochen’s box office at 231.276.7800. While tickets for Nelson are sold out there is the remote possibility that a few tickets may come available. Tickets remain for B.B. King, be sure to get there in time for the opening act the 29-year-old Joe Bonamassa who started playing guitar at the age of four was already opening for B.B. King by age 12.