http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2014....html?ref=arts
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A very thought provoking post, smark, thanks.
The artist either calls it a day a tad too early, or maybe hangs on a tad too long. And who is to blame them for carrying on, as long as people remain willing to pay, just to be in their company a while.
I can't think of an immediate solution, except to offer tickets with a disclaimer that performances may vary for health reasons, etc...
All I know is if I were to walk, not with expectations into a concert hall, but with no expectations into an old folks complex and, just to be topical, B B King, Chuck Berry, Martha Reeves and all were there, and would did their thing as and when they could, I'd feel I'd died and gone to heaven, and would want to move right in there with them.....
Interesting. I saw B.B. King in concert last May in Toledo, Oh and he was excellent.
I saw B.B. King back in the 80s on a bill with Bobby Bland and Millie Jackson. He put on a great show. In the years since, I have watched his performances on television and have seen a decline. I appreciate what he does but I wouldn't pay to see him again. And if I did, I certainly wouldn't expect B.B. circa 2014 to match what I saw in 1984, much less the years before that. And I would still respect the fact that I was watching living history.
I would suggest audience members thinking of going to such shows might think of looking at some recent YouTube clips before purchasing tickets. And i would look at more than one, as every artist can have an off night.
This saddens me to hear some people would heckle this legend, how dare they?! They need to take into consideration his age and tha tmeans some days will be good some will not. People we all [[if lucky to live that long) will get old too and have some memory loss with some days better than others. His true fans would never heckle him, they would understand he's not in his prime anymore, they honestly would be happy just to be in his presence.
Now do I think the ticket price was too high, yes I do, his agents need to be realistic a sdoes the venue. B.B. wants to just do what he's always done, all he's ever known his life and that's to play on stages. Don't know how bad his medical issues are but his family needs to step up and look at that very carefully.
Jimmy will be 89 in July, at his age he too has medical issues but is capable of performing and remembering all his signature songs, the voice still sounds amazing, his fans just want to be in his presence, even if he made a mistake they still give him standing ovations. Jimmy would love to keep on performing, all he's ever wanted to do and known his whole life. At this stage and age he will settle for doing an occasional recording, important interviews, and perhaps later a tribute concert in Vegas [[where we live) for his birthday with named special guests singing to him and Jimmy singing a couple songs. [[The latter we'll see, just in talks now).
I stopped overseas travel a few years ago, but... I've noticed how hard the travel is at his age with his condition of not being able to walk anymore, transferring from wheelchair to isle chair to seat on plane is not the easiest.
After hearing about Solomon Burke, Thad Jones, Ray Brown, & others I decided it was time for Jimmy to stop traveling. I wasn't going to risk his life, I'd rather keep him home safe. Careful management of his health "is why he's still here with us now". Jimmy has always had a positive outlook on everything and feels blessed. As long as Jimmy is here I feel blessed.
Here's a photo of the two Legends together B.B. King & Jimmy Scott:
Attachment 8037
S.S.
***
Good Morning Soul Sister...
Your post touched me deeply because it is a BLESSING to grow older.
Your protection, patience and respect for Mr Jimmy Scott will be rewarded...
God Doesn't miss a single moment of kindness!... Never has and Never will!
Yes, Mr King is older but I would Shine his shoes and spit polish them just to be in his presence... HE IS A BLUES LEGEND and he deserves respect.
Come July when you Celebrate Mr Scott's Birthday ,Remember that we as your Soulful Detroit Family wish him only the Best of Life and Health.
Abraham Smooth Wilson
Thank you Smooth for the lovely post and your kind words.
It's so true, we need to support, honor, and the respect our pioneers.
Let's give them their flowers while they are still here with us.
S.S.
***
The St. Louis Post, where the article originated at, has retracted the article and the statement and posted a video to clarify.
http://www.stltoday.com/entertainmen...25bb8de3b.html
Thanks for posting that, dvus7.
A pioneer, a living legend, an icon, he's all those things and should always be respected for the doors he opened for others period!
S.S.
***
Mr. King must be very ill and need the money. Mr. King is a legend and to hear that he was heckled, saddens me. :[[ It's just not right!
Hello All,
I do not respond much anymore but continue to read Soulful Detroit on a weekly basis. When I saw this thread and read that Jeanie spoke about her husband Jimmy, I need to respond.
Sometimes, I feel like a broken record saying who I am on this board but I am an inner city high school teacher from Toronto. Many legends mentioned on this board have met and spoken with my students aka "my kids" for close to 25 years. We met Jimmy Scott about 10 years ago [[remember Jeanie) but B.B. King has been there since day one.
B.B. King is our Grandpa and he has offered to pay for some of "my kids" college, has met many, always gave us free tickets to his concerts, gave one his necklace to one boy who kept staring at it and has always in the end, tried to help me help kids. We were always BLESSED when his former tour manager, the late Sherman Darby would come collect us and take us to the back of his tour bus for a one hour meeting. Then we would see the show and come back for another meeting. The year he turned 80, we had several kids from the past, present and future present him with photos of his past visits as well as a certificate and he was happy and surprised.
I could write VOLUMES about the integrity of Grandpa B.B. King as he is such a great man!!!! It does not surprise me that at 88, maybe he cannot tour the same way as age 28 but that is what he wants to do. It is not about money as all he knows for most of his life is touring and performing and it makes him happy so why not? I am sorry age has caught up with him concert wise but I knew it would come. I remember the first time seeing him sit while in concert with Lucille and he told me afterwards, "Professor, I am now old".
Sorry for the long note but I please ask that no body say anything negative about the original post or my post. Mr. King is older but let's still give him the chance to do what he loves. When it is time for him to go, he has a strong family who will let him know.
There is an old gospel song that has the words, "give me my flowers while I can yet smell them, so that I can know they comfort they bring."
My point, there are still some "icons, giants, legends", whatever you care to call them, that deserve our respect, because they paved the way and paid the price so that a whole new generation of so called "icons" can have a great payday. Needless to say that these new "giants" can't hold a candle to the true pioneers.
I totally agree with everything that Soul Sister and so many others have stated in this post. But one of the main problems, as I see it, is that WE don not give the love and support of OUR legends, the way others do theirs. Let me illustrate:
I work at the Hard Rock. I am sometimes privy to see some of the shows here. I also have observed, sadly I might add, that when certain venues come to the Rock, they are not given the due dillegence by us, as in the case of others.
B.B. King was here last year and put on one heck of a show for a man his age. WE were not present in attendance, but the show sold out because of the love that others have for him. Smokey Robinson was here last year. Sold out show. But WE were not in attendance as WE should have been. Smokey put on a hell of a show and can note for note, still sing with the best of them, if not out sing them.
Gladys Knight was here last year. Same thing. And, Gladys didn't miss a beat. Sounded just as good in 2013 as she did in 1963.
There was a show which featured Jeffrey Osborne, Howard Hewitt, Pebo Bryson and Freddie Jackson. All four of these men can still sing their faces off. WE did not give them the support we should have.
There was a show with the Spinners and the Manhattans. Same thing.
Dennis Edwards and the Temptations Review with The Whispers. Sad turnout. However in both of these cases, there were others who wanted to see a piece of history, that made these shows somewhat of a success.
Earth, Wind and Fire. Thank God for others because we were scarce.
Al Green....now that was a good one for everybody.
Now on the other hand:
Billy Joel was here for 4 DAYS of sold out shows. And Billy is damn good.
The Beach Boys were here for 2 DAYS of sold out shows. THEY SUCKED! [[my opinion).
Paul Anka, who has not had a hit since Noah built the Ark. But had 2 days of sold out support.
The Young Rascals....come on. 3 DAYS of sold out shows.
Brian Wilson....2 DAYS...sold out.
I won't even bother to mention some of the newer acts that I don't know too mcuh about, but have huge support from their fan base.
Listen, if you get a chance to see any of the legends, Jimmy Scott, Al, Smokey, Gladys, Aretha, Dionne, Martha, B.B, Bobby Womack, EWF, Ron Isley, GO SEE THEM. GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT THAT OTHERS GIVE THEIR PIONEERS. The way we have been losing our greats, we don't know if we will get the chance to see them again. Sure, they may not sing and dance like that did "back in the day." But the fact that they are still here, makes it all worthwhile. Yes, they have wrinkled and look older [[except Smokey and Ron Isley) but, they can still hold their own.
We should pay as much homage to our icons as ohters do theirs. I'm not trying to make this a black and white thing. I'm just saying its a wrong and right thing.
But as always, this is just one man's opinion.
The heckling is inappropriate. However, attempting to perform when you clearly are unable to deliver what the audience wants is somewhat wrong as well. The only thing sadder than seeing him in the decline of life and performance will be him performing in front of a couple of dozen paid patrons once word gets out that he won't be able to play as expected. His agent really needs to convince him that it's over.
Believe me when I say that I love blues music and I believe that B.B. King was the greatest ambassador for it in the last half-century. But I'd probably be in tears to witness the performances described in the article by him and Chuck Berry. I want my memories of my heroes to be of their glory days, not their decline.
I blame my generation -- Baby Boomer -- and the next one -- Gen X. We have taught our children wrong. I work with kids on a daily basis, most raised by Gen X and younger. Showing respect and reverence are almost unknown traits. I actually teach some of the kids these traits.
My generation and Gen X is the one's that turned kids onto video games, invented video game, bad music, bad writing, the crudeness of American culture. My late father was into jazz [[Miles Davis), good writing, good food, travel, and passed these qualities on to me, but most importantly passed R-E-S-P-E-C-T on to me, and I'm not talkin' about Aretha. Respect of your elders, others, men, women, treating people right, talking without crudeness. If you don't like something, you don't boo. You sit still. You don't leave in the middle of a show.
While I'm also an advocate of retirement for some of these singers and groups, if you choose to go, show some f'n respect -- and I don't care how much you paid for your ticket. Rwandians are looking back this week at a genocide 20 years ago that claimed 800,000 lives ... you can sit through a B.B. King concert you don't like, OK? God, we are a spoiled, awful, narcissistic culture.
tsull1, I like your style.
I completely agree with this statement.Quote:
Originally Posted by tsull1
We are lost.
YOU SAID ITQuote:
Originally Posted by tsull1
thanks
edafan
Tsull1, straight no chaser!!Quote:
Originally Posted by tsull1
Sorry, but unruly and rude audiences are as old as the history of humanity and performances. This is not a recent phenomenon.
http://www.artsjournal.com/league/conner.pdf
B.B. King is getting on in years and he probably just wants to talk. He's probably getting tired of playing with Lucille.
One word, folks...PATIENCE!! The man is 88 years old. Let's give him a break. While there are entertainers that still have it at that age, many just can't do it anymore.
I realize that there were folks who plunked down a good chunk of change to see Mr. King do his thing and were disappointed...but let's just be glad that we were in the presence of greatness for however long that we were. B.B. could sit there and read the phone book and I'd be in awe! I'd sit there and I'd listen, and I would be respectful and patient toward this man who has given joy to so many people around the world [[including myself).
Best,
Mark
I woke up to read the following info in my local paper.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/bb-king-...t-in-st-louis/
Then I saw this:
http://www.ksdk.com/story/life/2014/...e-bad/7785233/