B.B. King, Hershey Pa 1/8/11

By Don McGurrin

B.B. King played at the sweetest place on earth ( Hershey Pa. ) this past Saturday night. Playing a single 90 minute set you can see that 85 years of age and over 200 shows a year is starting to take toll on him. He is now doing more talking than playing these days. B.B. King talked about the cold weather and how his voice was horse but we would probably not be able to tell. This may have had some baring as to how the show went. His band had been playing for about 10 minuets or so be he came out on stage. He joked at how he had better introduce them now before he forgets to do so. The 8 piece band that had a 4 piece horn section included some family members. One of the first songs of the night "ain't it just like a women" is one of the many songs of the night that were interrupted by some of King's banter before finishing it of with the men in the crowd singing the part ain't it just like a women.

A little more into the show King starts to talk about working with T-Bone Burnett. King starts going on about a man half his age is telling him what will be good for him. He finally agrees to do what the kid wants and goes on to win his 13th grammy with One Kind favor. It is easy to see that B.B. likes telling his stories has he has plenty of them. Love Comes to Town is another song that starts out strong but never gets finished as one more story breaks out. This one is about playing in over 90 countries and how he will not play in any country that will not allow him to talk to the women there.

You are my Sunshine gets paused by yet another story. B.B. starts talking about his medical staff of Dr Viagra and nurse Cialis keeps him going and about 10 more minutes of banter once again before going back to You are my sunshine. He begins to talk about Willie Nelson and doing one of his songs (Always on My Mind) but after all the talking the song never came to be. Picking up the clock he had on stage he makes the statement of 20 minutes to go and it starting to look like he is done. He breaks into The Thrill is Gone and the crowd jumps to its feet, Less than a minute and the song is over. B.B. King is now tossing guitar picks and trinkets to those in the first 3 or 4 rows. While still on stage B.B. is now putting on his hat and winter over coat and it is clear that he is done. While it was a thrill to see this living legend it was a bit a disappointment over all.