This is the first of two interviews music executive, Joe Smith, had with blues legend B.B. King for Smith’s book, Off the Record: An Oral History of Popular Music. The two old friends turned on the recorder in a diner and looked back on B.B.’s storied career. They covered such things as the origin of his iconic guitar’s name (“Lucille”) and why nobody wants a bluesman at their party.
This is their conversation in its entirety.
This episode was made with the support of The Recorded Sound Research Center at The Library of Congress and the Toronto Public Library Foundation, which provided this studio space in the Digital Innovation Hub inside the Toronto Reference Library. Many people think the library is fully supported by municipal taxes -- but it isn't. Your donations fund vital programs and services not covered by tax dollars. You can donate at
tplfoundation.ca
Additional support was provided by the Los Angeles Daily News, The Oddcast Network, and Gene Giraudeau. The music is by the man himself, B.B. King and is sourced from a concert in South Africa in 1984.
You can find Joe's book, Off the Record: An Oral History of Popular Music, on
Amazon.com
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