Joe Bonamassa – B.b. King's Blues Summit 100 (3xLP)

Joe Bonamassa announces "B.B. King's Blues Summit 100", a groundbreaking tribute album featuring dozens of music stars to celebrate the 100th birthday of the "King of Blues".

The result is a bespoke project nine months in the making, with contributions from Buddy Guy, Keb' Mo', Slash, Shemekia Copeland, Marcus King, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Larkin Poe, Jimmie Vaughan, Warren Haynes, Dion, Aloe Blacc, Kirk Fletcher and many others. Each artist was provided with material that was personal to them - sometimes surprisingly so - and all were given the opportunity to interpret King's work from their own perspective.

Bonamassa, who first performed as an opening act for B.B. King at the age of 12, credits the blues titan with shaping his approach to music and life. "He was my mentor," says Bonamassa. "But I wasn't the only one. Everyone around him tells the same story about how friendly B.B. was and how welcoming he was to the younger generation."

As a producer, Bonamassa placed particular emphasis on preserving the quality and emotional authenticity of the works. Tracks like "The Thrill Is Gone" were lavishly arranged with real strings, horns and whatever else was needed to do them justice. "You only get one shot to get it right," he says. "And I think we pulled it off."

The project also highlights King's exceptional vocal abilities - a quality often overshadowed by his legendary guitar playing. "He's known as a guitar player, but when Frank Sinatra says, 'Hey, that's one of my favorite singers in the world,' you listen," Bonamassa says. "He could make the floor shake with his chest voice."

For the artists involved, the project was more than just a musical endeavor - it was an opportunity to reflect on the cultural and personal significance of King. Bobby Rush, who met King in 1948, called him "the man I've looked up to all my life" and remembers leading the hearse at his funeral. Kenny Wayne Shepherd told a story about receiving life advice from King on his 16th birthday. Marcus King remembers leaning against the back wall at a B.B. King concert as a child - a moment that has stayed with him forever. Other duo partners bring together artists from different genres and generations, including Train's Pat Monahan with guitarist Chris Buck on "Think It Over" and Shemekia Copeland, Slash and Myles Kennedy, who teamed up for "When Love Comes to Town".

The album title is a nod to King's Grammy-winning 1993 album Blues Summit. For Bonamassa, this project is less a farewell work than a mission accomplished. "B.B.'s only wish was: 'I want the music to live on' And that's exactly what we're doing here," says Bonamassa.