"Most Beautiful Day Of My Life," B.B. King Says After Ceremony At MS Capitol

WLOX (Biloxi, MS) ^ | 02/15/05 | AP

[bourbon]

Blues great B.B. King says he had never set foot in the Mississippi Capitol until Tuesday. Once he arrived, he got a grand welcome.

The state House and Senate declared Tuesday to be B.B. King Day.

During a standing-room-only ceremony in the Senate chamber, lawmakers and Gov. Haley Barbour honored the 79-year-old Delta native whose hits include "The Thrill is Gone.''

King pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped away tears.

"I never learned to talk very well without Lucille,'' King said, speaking of his black Gibson guitar. "But today, I'm trying to say only God knows how I feel. I am so happy. Thank you.''

Outside the Senate chamber, King was mobbed by fans seeking autographs and pictures. He graciously indulged the requests, even signing a candy-apple red Fender electric guitar for Ben Thompson, chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck.

"Signing guitars that are not Gibson is like being married and kissing a woman who is not your wife,'' the blues man said with a smile.

Arkansas Lt. Gov. Winthrop Paul Rockefeller was at the Mississippi Capitol during the ceremony, and stayed to get a picture made with King.

The singer and invited guests were treated to lunch at the Governor's Mansion.

During an after-lunch interview in his limousine, King said his home state, which once struggled with racial oppression, has made "night and day'' changes over the decades.

"I feel like the prodigal son and they have killed the fattest calf,'' he said. "I am having the time of my life. I thought when I got married it was the happiest time. I thought when I had my first child it was the happiest time. Those were great times.

"This has been the most beautiful day of my life.''

He said the last time he cried was at Ray Charles' funeral.

"That was tears of sorrow,'' King said. "Today, it was tears of joy.''

Riley B. King was born Sept. 16, 1925, on a cotton plantation in Berclair, outside Itta Bena. He earned the nickname "B.B.'' - for Beale Street Blues Boy or just Blues Boy - during his early career in Memphis, Tenn.

King has earned 13 Grammy awards and has been inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He has sold more than 40 million records worldwide, and Barbour said there are "more to come - because the thrill is not gone.''

The resolutions are Senate Concurrent Resolution 534 and House Concurrent Resolution 65.

[Chapita]

As a white, 7 generation Mississippian, I'd walk a mile just to wave at that black dude! Love his music!

[reagandemo]

I thought Clapton sold most of his collection back a few years ago in the relief effort for that Caribbean island that had the volcano.

[noblejones]

They don't make'em like B.B. King anymore.

[noblejones]

>>
Clapton has the most vast collection of guitars . . .
<<

And the least amount of talent.

[wardaddy]

My dad flew BB around Mississippi some a few times gratis in his bird at the request of some MS Governor some years ago when BB was doing some campaign performances.

I had met BB before when we produced a concert of him at the Ole Miss chapel back in 76 or 77. That concert was recorded.

A real class act.....very genial demeanor. I think he had known sadness but not demons like most bluesmen whether modern like himself or the originators like Son or Charlie.

[fredhead]

I've always been a rocker. I've seen the rockers beat the heck out of their guitars when playing. But the first time I saw B.B. play, I realized that he wasn't playing the guitar, he was making love to it. Nobody NOBODY can play like B B.

[fredhead]

I gave you a brand new Ford,
You said "I want a Cadillac,"
I bought you a ten dollar dinner
You said "Thanks for the snack"
I let you live in my penthouse
You said it was just a shack
I gave you seven children
And now you want to give them back

I've been downhearted baby,
Ever since the day we met
Your love is nothing but the blues
Baby, HOW BLUE CAN YOU GET?

[bullseye1911]

And the least amount of talent.

Man, you like being flame bait? I would only say I recently bought the DVD of his Crossroads Guitar Festival and he doesn't take a backseat to ANYONE!!

[myheroesareDeadandRegistered]

I used to love to hear his music. Even admired him until I saw a documentary about his life. When he started bragging about how many fatherless children he'd left around the country, that was it. He then was added to my "do not support" list.

[bourbon]

I think he had known sadness but not demons like most bluesmen whether modern like himself or the originators like Son or Charlie.

Yes, sliding into old age happily is a much better fate than being poisoned by a cuckolded man (a la Robert Johnson).

Of course, dying a painful death at a young age is a real b!tch, especially if you've sold your soul to the Devil

[PAR35]

I'll bet the Democrat Klan members in Mississippi are upset that the Republican leadership honored him at the state capitol. That certainly didn't happen when the democrats were in power.

[Bonaparte]

There's just no question that Clapton has always been enormously talented and he's certainly in the top 10 rock guitarists of all time --although (IMHO) he can't touch Jimi.

[bourbon]

How do the "racial arsonists" respond to this beautiful statement by a G-d fearing man

Good question. I don't know. Why don't you ping them to this thread and let's find out? LOL!

[Bonaparte]

Hehe, it's especially sweet that Haley Barbour is the one to finally honor BB in his home state.

[Uncle Fud]

Bump for a great musician and a true class act.

If you've never seen the man perform, pick up a copy of "Live at the Regal" or "Live and Well" and you'll get a slight idea of what it's like.

[dmz]

And you can't hear the pain of his decisions, and his attempts to rise above those decisions, in his music?

I can. In some ways, it's the very essence of the blues.

I'd be interested in knowing who remains on your play list. Have you vetted all of them for moral suitability?

[Ruth A.]

I wouldn't be surprised of King takes Lucille with him. This is a good story. I enjoyed reading it.

[myheroesareDeadandRegistered]

"Have you vetted all of them for moral suitability?"

Yeah, a few. Bob Seger, one of my favorite top 3, is another I ridded my ears of. Found out he has a habit of beating women. That and child abandonment don't fly with me.

I would suspect that Mr. King's songs of "pain" have netted him a good fortune. A small portion of that sum would allow his scattered seed to live like "kings".

[Revelation 911]

And the least amount of talent.

<

LOL - man you are just asking to get flamed LOL -

I appreciate your honesty though

He's certainly had more sorrow than anyone deserves

[WKB]

But BB is Black
How can this be be.
BBttp