Customer Reviews

B.B. King: There Is Always One More Time

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With the recent publication of "The B.B. King Treasures", one finds a different approach to King and his life in B.B. King, There is Always One More Time" by David McGee (Backbeat Books). Part of the Lives in Music series, McGee provides some biographical overview of King's music and life but this is really a survey of King's lengthy recording career that is now in its sixth decade. This is more than simply a survey of King's extensive recordings as McGee has interviewed numerous participants in many of these recordings ranging from first sessions with the Nashville Bullitt label and Calvin Newborn who was on that session with other members of his family to his recent collaborations with various blues and pop superstars. He also provides extensive commentary on the recordings themselves which can be somewhat exhausting reading at times although worthwhile as he traces the development and maturation of King's style and maturation. Unfortunately some of the major players, especially in King's earlier days like Maxwell Davis are no longer with us. He presents his opinions intelligently and fervently but not afraid to critique some recordings. He generally notes the sources of King's recordings although their are gaffes as he fails to correct the source of "Gambler's Blues" that King originally recorded on his "Blues is King" disc (it was a top ten hit for Dinah Washington as "You Satisfy" and then redone by her as "Gambler's Blues" by Washington who added a verse from Billie Holiday's "Fine and Mellow"), nor correctly attribute "Sloppy Drunk" (he attributes it to Jimmy Rogers who likely got it from John Lee `Sonny Boy' Williamson but the song goes back to Lucille Bogan). There are a few other examples of this and also King's first three albums for ABC Paramount are inadequately covered. The first album "Mr. Blues" is discussed but not given its" own subchapter like most of King's albums but neither "Confessin' the Blues" nor "Paying the Cost to be the Boss" are mentioned nor analyzed even briefly. Also King's guest appearance with U2 is discussed at length (deservedly so), King's guest appearances on cds by blues legends and associates like Arthur Adams, Robert Lockwood Jr and Koko Taylor are not mentioned. This is not as serious as the omission of the ABC albums, but still these recordings still say a lot about King, especially Lockwood who played such an important role in helping shape King's career at the beginning. These points detract a little from the book, but are relatively minor. I should point out that I found this slower reading than "The B.B. King Treasures," but that is in its very nature of what McGee is attempting. It is not something for a vary casual fan of the blues or even King, but rather for the serious enthusiast of Kings music, one will fine much to provoke thought and perhaps lead one to listen again or anew to King's music.

I just finished David McGee's book, B.B. King: There Is Always One More Time. This is an excellent book, a great read, and a considerable work. I found the interviews, particularly of Stewart Levine and Bill Szymczyk, very insightful and the focus on B.B.'s recording history a very interesting angle.

Now we have three excellent autobiographies of B.B., a book focusing on his recording career, and the new B.B. King Treasures book which I will read next.

Kudos to David and thanks go out to him for writing such an enjoyable book. A real treasure trove of information for all B.B. King fans.