Today is legendary blues man B. B. King’s 80th birthday. He was born in Mississippi and christened Riley but when he began his professional blues career more than 60 years ago he took the blues name “Blues Boy”. That was quickly shortened to B. B. and he’s been B. B. King to blues lovers ever since.
Maceo first introduced me to B. B. King. After my dad died when I was in college, the first job I took to keep body and soul together was as Maceo’s assistant. Maceo was a breakfast cook. It was my job to fetch and carry for Maceo and do whatever chores he had for me. He quickly showed me the ropes of short-order breakfast cooking. For the next five years I worked from 6:00am to 9:00am six days a week.
Maceo must have been in his late 50’s or early 60’s when I first met him. Shortly after I began working with him, Maceo had a serious heart attack and was out for 8 weeks. Those were the days before extensive open heart surgery and all of the various miraculous pharmaceuticals we’ve got now.
And I just sort of took over for him. When Maceo came back to work, we worked as a team and over the next five years we got to know each other pretty well. Sometimes after Maceo got off work in the afternoon I’d go over to Maceo’s house. We’d sit in his rec room in the basement, talking about nothing in particular, sippin’ bourbon, and listening to B. B. King records.
I lost track of Maceo a long time ago. I’m sure he must be dead by now. But I still drink Early Times. And I still listen to B. B. King.
Happy Birthday, B. B.
Hi, Dave, nice post, thanks! Did i tell you that Emmy and I went to the Big Muddy Blues Festival a couple of weekends ago (“get muddy” is their slogan).
Emmy has a serious interest in the blues and blues music history. She spoke with a gentleman sitting next to us on the grass about her interests, and he suggested a graduate-degree program at the University of Mississippi in Oxford.
She’s thinking of an undergraduate major (at Lawrence) in cultural anthropology, with a minor in ethnic/global cultural studies (which is offered at Lawrence.) Also they offer a quarter in Chicago (studying urban issues or at the Newberry Library), and also a quarter abroad—she’ll be considering these for during her junior year (next year).
It must be in the genes. love to all, have a good day, ann