The B. B. King Treasures: Photos, Mementos & Music from B. B. King's Collection (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Dick Waterman (Author), Charles Sawyer (Contributor) "After his mother, Nora Ella King, and father, Albert King, broke up when he was four, young Riley B. King lacked a steady paternal role..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Sonny Boy, Clock Blues (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

While true blues lovers may scoff at the opulence of such a coffee-table volume, they may change their minds when they discover the treat this work has tucked under its front cover: an hour-long audio CD of conversations with the "Chairman of the Board" of blues, B.B. King (b. 1925). The book itself is a stylishly packaged retelling of King's life from Mississippi sharecropping cabin dweller to White House honoree, with King's reminiscences intercut with comments from his friends. In addition to pages of gorgeously reproduced photos, eight parchment sleeves hold facsimiles of King memorabilia: first, his sharecropping account from 1940, and then mostly tickets, programs and posters for his shows. Still, the real "treasure" is the CD: 16 tracks of King talking about how and why he makes music, sometimes accompanied by riffs on Lucille (his guitar), plus two previously unreleased recordings. King gives a bluesman's take on race relations in the 20th century: how white radio stations started playing black music and how British stars (the Beatles, the Stones, Clapton, etc.) revived the careers of black bluesmen and then how white "folkies" picked up on the music, too. This will be a tasty gift for any blues fan. 116 illus. (Sept. 16)Correction: The agent for Robert Oxnam's A Fractured Mind (Reviews, Aug. 8) is Wendy Strothman.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The King of the Blues turns 80 on September 16: cause for celebration, indeed. Already, on February 15, 2005, Mississippi honored its world-famous son in a ceremony at the state capitol. Now comes this spectacular oral-history-cum-scrapbook that should draw browsers as if it were the cure for the common cold. It is certainly good for what ails you, what with its scads of great photos and blues-biz paraphernalia (posters, record labels, etc.) reproductions, its immaculately proofread text, its high production values (heavy stock, visually textured pages in several colors, clean layout), and its--libraries, beware!--removable bonus attractions (CD of interview outtakes and previously unreleased old recordings, eight translucent envelopes containing excellent reproductions of such memorabilia as a portrait-postcard a teenage King sent a girlfriend, backstage passes, business cards, booking sheets, concert handouts, etc.). On top of all that, it's an interesting read, especially about King's early life and pre-stardom career. If there are a few tangential errors (blues organist Mark Naftalin's father was mayor of Minneapolis, not Milwaukee), who cares? Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Bulfinch (September 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821257242
• ISBN-13: 978-0821257241
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #179,140 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Treasures fit for fans of the King of the Blues, November 19, 2005

By	R. Weinstock (Falls Church, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Those looking for a present for a blues lover (or themselves) could do far worse than purchasing an absolutely wonderful new coffee table book plus more devoted to the King of the blues. The B. B. King Treasures : Photos, Mementos & Music from B. B. King's Collection is by King, Dick Waterman and Charles Sawyer. Sawyer, who wrote the first book-length biography of King, The Arrival of B.B. King, contributes a concise biography from King's days growing up in Mississippi to his days as an ambassador for the music. The remainder of the book is filled with King's recollections as given to Dick Waterman who supplements these recollections of growing up, working on the farm, moving to memphis, touring and crossing over. There are not only some terrific photographs (many are very rare), but also some reproductions of memorabilia including his sharecropping account from 1940, mostly tickets, programs and posters for his shows, along with sheets shoqwing how much he was earning prior to Sid Seidenberg taking over King's management in the late sixties. You can see him from his WDIA days to receiving the musical equivalent of the Nobel Prize in Sweden with the King of Sweden handing the award to him. In addition there is a cd with King's verbal recollections and some unissued tracks. This is a multi-media feast for fans of one of the true legends of world music. Compiled in part to celebrate his 80th birthday, The B.B. King Treasures, is a treasure.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A bluesman's journey, November 7, 2005

By	twangmon (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

Packed with amazing photos, album artwork, removable memorabilia, and detailed first-person recollections, The B.B. King Treasures chronicles the life of the world's best known and most beloved bluesman, Riley B. King -- "The Beale Street Blues Boy." The beautifully designed and printed 160-page hardback also includes a one-hour audio CD with more than a dozen interviews and two previously unreleased songs, cut with a full band in 1962 and 1971.

We follow King through his childhood in Indianola, Mississippi, and then move on to Memphis and the first years of his career performing on WDIA radio. Kings' decades spent working the chitlin' circuit and later as a globe-trotting star are thoroughly documented, as is his current status as elder statesman of the blues. It's a highly visual journey with page after page of eye candy, as well as reproductions of posters, postcards, ledgers, contracts, concert programs, tour stickers, receipts, and even a vintage business card.

King made music during turbulent times, particularly in terms of civil rights, and many of his quotes shed light on what it was like to be an African-American musician during the days of segregation. But King always tells his stories without rancor, and his honesty, humility, and respect for other musicians -- many of whom add testimonials of their own -- shine through his words. The man is very observant, and it's fascinating to explore American history and the evolution of blues, rock, and the electric guitar through his eyes. If you love King's music, this book will draw you even deeper into its embrace.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for blues fans..., January 3, 2006

By	The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

Though possibly a bit unlike adults my age, I am a bonafide blues lover and THE B. B. KING TREASURES: Photos, Mementos & Music from B. B. King's Collection is a remarkable look into the background and life of legendary blues singer B. B. King. In it he details his early childhood and growing up on a farm, to his young adult days, touring various parts of the country and his candid views on segregation and the Civil Rights era.

While the book itself is a wonderful collector's item and can be displayed proudly as a coffee table book, the best parts to me were: the included CD which has a collection of interviews with the singer, as well as two unreleased songs, the numerous pull-outs of old letters, photos, programs and posters, and the respect he shared with and bestowed upon others. THE B. B. KING TREASURES succinctly depicts the life and times of B. B. King, his thoughts on many issues, including race relations, and especially music. It is perfect for the blues lover in your life and a great tribute for B.B. King's 80th birthday celebration.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers