B.B. King is one guitarist who has influenced generations of musicians, from Eric Clapton to the late Stevie Ray Vaughan and U2 among countless others During a recent performance in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada I got to meet this legendary musician. Unfortunately a indepth interviewed I had scheduled earlier, could not take place because of scheduling problems on my end. I have to maintain a day job as interviewing rock stars just dosen't pay the bills, but I did get to ask him a few questions. GB - Great to have you out here on the east coast BB. How is the tour going and what do you do when your not touring?
BB- It's been great, Well You know the old saying 'You can take the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy'? I have an old El Camino. I live in Las Vegas and I like to drive up in the hills and look at the wildlife."
GB- Do you have to live the blues to play it?
BB - I think it's a myth behind that. Blues is a type of music like rock 'n' roll, like any other kind of music. You get it if you want it, if you don't you don't -- because sometimes if your girl leaves you, you might be glad. Blues ain't always sad. You'll notice that I play a lot of tunes that are not bad; some of them are informative, some of it is something you can clap your hands or tap your feet on and then some of it tells kind of a nice love story. Then there's some that are the kind that people expect.
GB- And you now sit down to play.
BB - Some people probably think, 'Look at him, he's gotten so old, he can't even stand up and play anymore. And I'd probably say you're right. But at 76 years old, I'd say I've earned the privilege of being able to sit down."
GB- A while back you gave one of your guitars to the Pope. What was it like meeting him?
BB - I really enjoyed him, he's a remarkable gentleman. I tell you what, I guess I felt as close to God as I ever had ... it just seemed like you could feel God's presence around him.
GB - Do you have any plans to retire some day?
BB - I think of it this way: As long as my health is good, I can handle myself well and as long as the people will come to see me and buy my CDs, I figure that they want to see me, so I keep going. But if my health gets bad and I can't handle myself well, then I'd stop."