USA: BLUES GUITARISTS B.B KING AND ERIC CLAPTON COLLABORATE ON AN ALBUM OF R & B SONGS "RIDING WITH THE KING "

Record ID: 389672

  • Title: USA: BLUES GUITARISTS B.B KING AND ERIC CLAPTON COLLABORATE ON AN ALBUM OF R & B SONGS "RIDING WITH THE KING "
  • Date: 20th June 2000
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JUNE 20, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) KING SAYING "Well Eric's a good friend, and he'd done so much for so many, he's a great guy. Not only that, in my opinion he's number one as a guitar, guitarist, rock 'n roll, nobody plays better than he does, in my opinion, and he plays blues better than a lot of us. So, to
  • Embargoed: 5th July 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, US & NEW YORK, NEW YORK, US VARIOUS LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Communications,Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVAEVN8W7LNX7W9OMXALRZQESLXH
  • Story Text: Three decades of friendship between famed blues guitarists B.B. King and Eric Clapton have led to a gem of a collaboration entitled, "Riding With The King", a collection of classic blues and R&B songs made famous by blues stalwarts John Hiatt, Big Bill Broonzy, Big Maceo Merriweather and King himself.
    B.B. King and Eric Clapton recorded "Riding With The King" in Los Angeles over a three month period, but their work on the set began nearly three years earlier when Clapton felt he had reached a level of developement in his career that gave him the confidence to approach King about recording an album together.
    King, a longtime friend and musical idol, gave Clapton wide range in choosing the tunes and arrangements for the 12-song collaboration which not only features the John Hiatt-penned title track, but B.B. King classics like "Three O'Clock Blues" , "Ten Long Years", and "When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer".
    "You know," said King of Clapton in a recent Reuters interview, "I've known this guy for quite a while, and he's so talented...his mind is so sharp, he pulled up tunes that I'd forgotten about."
    The "Riding With The King" track list includes a remake of the Sam & Dave Classic "Hold On, I'm Coming" , "Come Rain or Come Shine" written by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen, and "Help The Poor" another B.B.King classic from the seminal 1962 album "Live at The Regal".
    In the more than thirty years that have passed since King and Clapton's historic 1967 meeting and subsequent jam sessions in New York City, these two giants of blues guitar have forged an enduring friendship, centered on mutual respect and a love for an idiom they have both helped to bring to worldwide attention.
    "Riding with The King" is drawing overall praise from critics, most of whom point to the ease with which King and Clapton blend their talents without overtaking one another musically.
    While there are no plans for a tour behind this set, B.B. King continues to hit the road belting out blues favorites with his band of over 15 years.
    King, who has recorded duets with various artists including John Lee Hooker, Etta James, Koko Taylor and Tracy Chapman, treated New Yorkers to a short performance at the recent opening of his new restaurant located in Times Square.
    He also shared his feelings about the new CD and the seemingly endless life on the road playing the music he loves.
    "I never did stop, but John Hurt and a lot of those guys, after they went so long and they couldn't get the recognition they wanted, they stopped, some of them went back to plowing, some went back to plantations and so on. But, I never stopped, never stopped because I thought what we were doing was good and sooner or later somebody would hear it," he said.
    "Eric's a good friend, and he'd done so much for so many, he's a great guy. Working with him is just a real treat for me, because I like the guy, I really like him," explained King.
    "Not only that, he's number one as a guitarist in rock 'n roll...nobody plays better than he does, in my opinion, and he plays blues better than a lot of us."
    The mutual respect also shone through in Clapton's comments about working with the King.
    "I don't work half as hard as this guy but I usually .
    . when he's on the road I've got plans to go fishing. I'm much more casual. I couldn't work the schedule he works," laughed Clapton.
    "Every now and then it felt like, if he wouldn't mind, I'd like to sing a bit of this, and I'll just have to remember that I'm just like a journeyman singing, just an amateur, an amateur."
    "Riding With The King" is currently available on Warner/Reprise Records.
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