~Z.T.~ top photo by Eric Weiler
I’m gonna go ahead and make this a Festival Crasher rule. You need to see legendary aging musicians before it’s too late. Andy and I learned this when we caught James Brown three months before he passed away. I couldn’t let 82 year-old blues icon B.B. King slip through my fingers. He’s performed more than 15,000 times the last 52 years and I had to make it to one.

Muddy waters filled Grant Park after a rainy weekend at the 25th Annual Chicago Blues Festival, but thousands stayed out Sunday night to catch B.B. (Blues Boy) and Lucille.
Taking the stage at 8:15, B.B. sounded fantastic playing over a dynamic horns section. I recognized classics like “Sweet Little Angel” and “The Thrill is Gone,” but got the most joy out of seeing him lay down nasty blues riffs and flash a trademark blues face. While often hard to hear, his banter made me smile and relish each of the 75 minutes of his set.

“At 82, I don’t know how much longer I’ll be here, but know this: Someone here really loves you.” He sat as he played and laughed off his lack of movement, telling the crowd:
“At my age, just wiggle your finger. Let the ladies do the shaking. This is good exercising for an 82 year-old.

Walking on stage and running your hands over Lucille was all the movement we needed, B.B.

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