RIP B.B. King

The world has suffered a great musical loss today with the death of Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015).

BB King 1925-2015

The Kings:  Elvis Presley & BB King 1956

King's guitars were named Lucille.  They were usually black Gibsons.  King's song Lucile is about his guitar and how it got its name. 

One of BB King's "Lucille" guitars

♪ Lucille (BB King) YouTube

The July 21, 1969 Schaefer Music Festival at New York, NY US Central Park (Wollman Rink Theater) double-bill featured Led Zeppelin and BB King.  They played separate sets, more's the pity.  It's hard to imagine today, but like with so many of the foundational blues musicians, BB King was not recognized properly for the immortal he was, and at this venue he was considered a support act to another bunch of immortals.

On This Day 15 May

Session man on this day in 1964.

1964 15 May On This Day PJ Proby releases 'Hold Me" (Jimmy Page rhythm guitar, Big Jim Sullivan lead)

PJ Proby was one of a couple dozen who did a version of Hold Me, a 1933 song by Jack Little, David Oppenheim, and Ira Schuster. 

Proby began writing songs and recording demos for artists such as Elvis Presley and Bobby Vee in 1962. It was inevitable that Jimmy Page and Proby would meet, since Proby knew Jackie DeShannon. In 1964 Proby went to the UK on DeShannon's advice, appearing on The Beatles' television special and putting out top 20 hits over two years' time, including Hold Me (featuring session players Jimmy Page on rhythm guitar and Big Jim Sullivan lead).

♪ Hold Me (PJ Proby) YouTube

• 1964 PJ Proby releases Hold Me
• 1986 The Firm St. Paul, Minnesota @ St. Paul Civic Center Arena
• 1988 Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary (continued). This show featured artists from the recording label’s early years to the latest pop stars.  It was planned as a 12 hour event, beginning at 1:30 PM on Saturday May 14 and ending at 1:30 a.m. Sunday May 15. Scheduled to start at midnight, in fact, Page, Plant, Jones and Jason Bonham didn’t hit the stage till 1:30 on Sunday morning. This was not the most shining performance of the veteran musicians, though Jason came out looking good. Robert Plant later said, “The crazy thing is, at the soundcheck, it was spectacular… and the gig was foul.”

1988 15 May Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary Celebration at MSG

1988 15 May Atlantic Records 40th anniversary celebration MSG.  (AP Photo/Mario Suriani)

1988 15 May Atlantic Records 40th anniversary celebration MSG.  (Photo Rita Barrows)

2014 15 May Jimmy Page in NYC for remaster interviews  Photo David Krieger

2014 15 May Jimmy Page in NYC for remaster interviews  Photo David Krieger

On This Day 14 May

Who ever said it was easy being a rock god?

1991 14 May On This Day Reno,NV/Lawlor Events Center - with David Coverdale,
jam with Poison, fall through stage floor

• 1967 - Jimmy Page - The Yardbirds - Stratford,London,England
• 1973 Led Zeppelin New Orleans,LA US/Municiple Auditorium

 ♪ Stairway to Heaven New Orleans, YouTube

Before Moby Dick Plant said: “I once heard a song called The Witch Queen of New Orleans. Well, tonight, I’m pleased to announce that John Bonham is The Drag Queen Of New Orleans!" Page laughs so much that he enters the piece late…
~ From Dave Lewis’s Led Zeppelin: The Concert File, describing the 1973 show in New Orleans

After this show the band members attended a party at Cosimo Recording Studios (note that this event has been posted elsewhere as occurring in 1972, but in May 1972 the band was recording at Stargroves, Mick Jagger's country home, and subsequently at Olympic Studios in England).  

1973 14 May post-show party at Cosimo Recording Studios, New Orleans.  Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Ernie K-Doe

• 1986 The Firm at Kansas City,MO/Kemper Arena
• 1988 Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham at Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary, New York, NY/Madison Square Garden 
• 1991 Jimmy Page, David Coverdale jam with Poison at Reno,NV/Lawlor Events Center 
• 2014 Interviews in NYC for Remasters releases

1988 Jimmy Page, Jason Bonham & Robert Plant at Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary, New York, NY/Madison Square Garden [not in photo: John Paul Jones]

1988 Jimmy Page& Robert Plant at Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary, New York, NY/Madison Square Garden

Jimmy Page interview in New York City on Wednesday May 14, 2014. Craig Robertson/Toronto Sun/QMI Agency

2014 14 May “I knew what I was doing, and I didn’t want anybody getting in the way of it.” — Jimmy Page
Credit: Damon Winter/The New York Times 

On This Day 13 May

"Jimmy Page blew everybody out with his unbelievable guitar work. He is definitely one of the greats."
~ Ken Rosene, Headlines

1969 May 13 On This Day Led Zeppelin in Hawaii

Led Zeppelin had arrived in Hawaii the day before clutching reels for Led Zeppelin II, a work in progress at that time. They performed just one show in Hawaii on May 13, and spent the rest of the time relaxing. They would have needed it after that show - there were lighting problems and the heat in the auditorium was terrible (note that the venue was torn down just five years later).

Ken Rosene, who died at 56 years old in 2002, was a concert promoter in Hawaii from the 1970s into the 1990s. He would have likely been the person who provided for the leis at the airport. Rosene started out reviewing concerts, writing the column Headlines for the Honolulu Advertiser in the 1960s and freelancing for other local and national periodicals, including Rolling Stone, before he turned to promotion. He was the co-founder and executive producer of the Diamond Head Crater Festival (also known as the Sunshine Festival).

• 1969  Honolulu US/ Civic Auditorium
• 1973  Mobile, Al US /Municipal Auditorium
• 1986  The Firm St. Louis, Missouri @ St. Louis Arena
• 1995  Page & Plant - San Diego, California @ San Diego Sports Arena
• 2014 Carol Miller WAXQ-FM New York, 104.3 interviews Jimmy Page

2014 13 May Jimmy Page interviewed by Carol Miller

2014 13 May Jimmy Page and Carol Miller of 'Get The Led Out' radio show, Q104.3 New York

On This Day 12 May

"Six thousand fans gasp in disbelief and then scream for some action as Plant and Page amble out of the backstage shadows."
~ Robin Smith review for the Record Mirror

1982 12 May On This Day Jimmy Page jammed with Foreigner at Munich

• 1968 Yardbirds Anaheim, California at Melodyland Theater
• 1969 Led Zeppelin travel day (Hawaii)
• 1973 Houses of the Holy album hit #1
• 1982 Jimmy Page, Robert Plant - Munich, Germany at Olympiastadion
• 1995 Page & Plant - Las Vegas, Nevada at MGM Grand Garden Arena

1969 12 May Led Zeppelin arrive at Honolulu Airport

1982 12 May Jimmy Page & Mick Jones of Foreigner

Pop/Rocky magazine No.11   05.1982

1995 Jimmy Page, Page & Plant at Las Vegas

♪

♪  Shake My Tree (Page & Plant, Las Vegas 1995) YouTube

♪ Mage Music 1 playlist at YouTube
♪ Mage Music 2 playlist at YouTube
♪ Page & Plant playlist at YouTube

On This Day 11 May

Jimmy Page opened the New York Stock Exchange on this day in 2005.  I know that stock traders are fixated on the market, but I can't help but wondering how many of them got off to a slow start because their minds had been taken away by this music first thing in their work day.

2005 11 May On This Day Jimmy Page at NY Stock Exchange

♪ Whole Lotta Love Jimmy Page at NY Stock Exchange YouTube

1969 Led Zeppelin - Seattle, Washington at Green Lake Aqua Theater
1973 Led Zeppelin - St. Louis, Missouri at St. Louis Arena

1974 Led Zeppelin meet Elvis in LA

1985 Jimmy Page - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at The Spectrum

1986 Jimmy Page - Richfield, Ohio at Richfield Coliseum

2005 Jimmy Page at NY Stock Exchange

1969 11 May Led Zeppelin - Seattle, Washington at Green Lake Aqua Theater

1974 Led Zeppelin on their way to see Elvis at LA Forum

In 1974 Led Zeppelin attended Elvis Presley's evening concert at the Los Angeles Forum. Elvis said: "...we've got Led Zeppelin out there... let's try to look like we know what we're doing, whether we do or not'.  After the show, the band (including Peter Grant) spent two hours with Elvis.

On This Day 10 May

1968 10 May On This Day Yardbirds at Santa Barbara, California 

1968 Yardbirds Santa Barbara, California at Earl Warren Showgrounds, Samuel E. Kramer Arena
1969 Led Zeppelin Vancouver Canada/ PNE Agrodome

1969 April recording Whole Lotta Love in Olympic Studios
Yeah, I know it's not supposed to be here on the May 10 page but I like the image, ok?

1971 Led Zeppelin Liverpool University
1973 Led Zeppelin Tuscaloosa, AL Memorial Coliseum
1974 Swan Song launch party Los Angeles
1995 Page & Plant Phoenix, Arizona at America West Arena
2014 Jimmy Page receives honorary degree from Berklee College of Music, Boston MA, gives commencement address

484 King's Road was the headquarters of Swan Song Records, owned by Led Zeppelin and opened for business May 10,1974.  Swan Song ceased active operations in 1983.

2014 10 May Jimmy Page receives honorary degree from Berklee College of Music, Boston MA