Ladies and Gentleman...Mr. B.B. King [Amazon.com Exclusive] [Box set]

B.B. King | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 25, 2012)
• Original Release Date: 2012
• Number of Discs: 10
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Hip-O
• ASIN: B008M4HJSW
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #134,504 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

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Editorial Reviews

B.B. King is one of America's few, long-standing musical treasures whose stature has grown to an unassailable, international level. Despite his 85 years, King continues to tour, perform and to grow in influence, casting a shadow that reaches far beyond the blues scene from whence he first came. His warm, down-home vocal style, his distinctive, talking blues guitar playing, and his songs that sing of love's joys and hardships Sweet Sixteen, How Blue Can You Get?, Help The Poor, The Thrill Is Gone and countless others are all indelibly imprinted elements in the modern musical heritage. --Ashley Kahn

Celebrating his 50th Anniversary signing to ABC-Paramount Records in 1962 we bring you this multi-format career retrospective. Leading the way with a slick 10 CD, 194 track collection chronicling his entire career from his first recordings in 1949 through to his most recent studio album.

Housed in a beautiful deluxe box including a 72-page, silver-gilded hardback book, featuring essays from Ashley Kahn and Dick Shurman. Also packed with glorious images and memorabilia, illustrating this incredible career. All lovingly assembled and with mastering supervised by Grammy® Award-winning consultants Bill Levenson and Andy McKaie.

KEY FEATURES:
- Two CDs chronicling his early years on Bullet, Modern/RPM and Kent/Crown Records
- Eight CDs chronicling his recording achievements on ABC-Paramount, ABC Bluesway, ABC, ABC/Impulse, MCA and Geffen Records, as well as high profile collaborations
- Highlights include key recordings from every ABC/MCA/Geffen era album
- Rare, non-album singles
- Rare album tracks
- Rare One Touch EP tracks
- Collaborations with Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, U2,Elton John, Robert Cray, Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, Gary Moore, Bobby Blue Bland, and others.
- Packaging to feature career spanning photos and memorabilia, essays by noted authors Ashley Kahn and Dick Shurman, extensive recording credits

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars stuff you've never heard October 9, 2012

By Christine Wilds

Format:Audio CD

I've been a B.B. King fan since I started listening to music (a while back), and already have a lot of his music. I'd thought I'd heard more than the average fan. But there are songs on these discs I've never heard before, never knew existed. And, I think, one of the coolest things is that though many of the songs you've heard before, you've only heard them one way. Here, there might be an earlier version or a live version, or the same song in a different context. It's witnessing the evolution of B.B. from WDIA's Riley "Blues Boy" King to just B.B. King to The King of the Blues, listening to him grow as a singer, guitarist, and entertainer.
The book, though I'm not far into it, is fabulously written with awesome pics. And it's got silver-lined pages. How cool is that?
I'm taking these discs out one time, transferring them to my itunes, then I'm going to find a way to display them as artwork.
What a treasure!

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautifully produced legacy to Mr. B.B. King September 29, 2012

By Luigi Facotti VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This 10CD set spans the impressive and consistent career of Mr. Blues Boy King aka Riley King - nearly 60 years of recorded music from 1949 to 2008. Each of the discs holds approximately 70 minutes of music and a couple of obscure sides from Mr. King's work in supporting diabetes education and research are included. Otherwise many of these 179 tracks are available elsewhere. Like Louis Armstrong, everything B B King does is professional even when the mood of the moment is for duets with less accomplished performers. The magic of this set, which is not cheap, is that it is a labor of love for UMG and many of the tracks retain still their magic after many years of listening - e.g.," It was the Queen of England who said aren't you B.B.King?". Depressed? Listen to Mr. King! One peeve - totally personal - I would have loved to have had a remastered version of "The Thrill is Gone" from the Old Miss live album - which was poorly mastered for CD - the LP being far better.
The hardback book that accompanies the CDs is beautifully produced - despite a typo - would that Sony Legacy provide Bill Withers the same dignified treatment rather than slapping 9 already released CDs into a box. The mastering is first rate as is the selection of track order. Despite the book and the box, the packaging is just okay - putting the CDs into disc trays bound into the book rather than crappy cardboard sleeves would have provided a less fragile environment for the music. Opening the tightly shrink wrapped sleeves requires care!
One final point that I did not understand was why this was an "Amazon exclusive". There seemed to be no extra CD or mp3 file associated with the purchase.... It turns out that Amazon apparently has the exclusive to sell this set from UMG right now - another source who had listed the set for $84 was unable to deliver it because "the manufacturer removed it from their release schedule" - the shape of things to come? Read more ›

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars a great overview October 14, 2012

By A customer HALL OF FAMEVINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

one of the most important music figures who expanded into so many other styles, however make no mistake about it, he is truly a bluesman and this set showcases what many have already heard and then what hadn't been heard and the results are some truly compelling material that is very good. and this is what a box set is truly about finding and getting those gems and unknown tracks that trace the start and then the material along the way that bring so much together. between his voice and lucille his guitar and the tone he has displayed with are something else to the ears. this is a must for true die hard B.B.King fan. some incredible material here.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The best! December 25, 2012

By Lonnie Viar III

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have the 10 disc version of this set (there is also a 4 disc version available) and theres very little to complain about. Great sound throughout and my only complaint is every disc isnt 79 minutes full, but the shortest disc time is around 73 minutes, so you really dont lose here. This makes an excellent gift for someone who loves B B s music and either has very little of his stuff in their collection or wants a great over all collection. This set covers the years 1949-2008 and comes with a gold embossed hardbound book on the set with rare pics ( B B posing with a Telecastor?)!

Get this set NOW!!!

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars great December 30, 2012

By greg and pam

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

He has always been our favorite performer and have seen him concert 5 or 6 times. Going to see him again in Feb. This is a great package of music.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic CD December 30, 2012

By Christopher Conner

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Great gift idea for a fan of BB King. Packaged well and I love the ok included with the cd.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars AWSOME!! December 20, 2012

By Rodney Branham

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

What an awesome box set of BB!! Best I have EVER heard! You will NOT be sorry to spend the $$ for this box!