B.B. King at Humphreys by the Bay: 2011
Seeing B.B. King before he passed was a blessing I didn't fully appreciate at the time. The King of Blues, still performing in his eighties, sitting in his chair with Lucille (his guitar), playing those signature licks that only he could bend that way.
B.B. King at Humphreys by the Bay was the perfect combination - a legend at an intimate venue. The waterfront setting, the close quarters, the ability to really see and hear everything - it made the experience feel personal in a way arena shows never can.
By 2011, B.B. was in his later years, and yes, he sat in a chair for the performance. But when he played, you understood immediately why he's called the King of Blues. Those string bends - the way he could make a guitar sing and cry with just a slight movement - are instantly recognizable. That tone, that vibrato, that phrasing - it's pure B.B. King.
"The Thrill Is Gone" is the song everyone knows, and hearing it live from the man who made it famous was powerful. His voice had aged but still carried authority and emotion. When he sang about heartbreak and loss, you believed him. He'd been living the blues for eight decades.
What made the night special was the storytelling between songs. B.B. King was a raconteur, sharing stories from his life, talking about the blues, making jokes, connecting with the audience. He had this warmth and generosity of spirit that made everyone in the venue feel like they were part of something special.
The band backing him was tight, respectful of the tradition they were carrying forward. But everyone knew who we were there to see - when B.B. played those solos, everything else fell away. Just the King and Lucille, making the guitar cry.
Humphreys' intimacy meant you could see his fingers on the fretboard, watch his expressions as he played, feel like you were in the room with a legend rather than watching from a distance. For someone of B.B. King's stature, that closeness was a gift.
Looking back now, after his passing, I'm so grateful I got to see him live. B.B. King represents a direct link to blues history - he knew and played with the pioneers, he brought blues to new audiences, he influenced generations of guitarists. Every rock guitarist you love was influenced by B.B. King in some way.
This show was a reminder that great musicians never really stop being great. Age might change some things, but the essence - the feeling, the tone, the soul - that remains. B.B. King had soul to spare, and he shared it generously until the very end.