THE KING IS GONE in AWAKEN

B.B. KING, born September 16, 1925, and when you thought of blues music he was the first person that came to mind, for me at least. My father loved him, my mother too, pretty much any black American that lived during the JIM CROW, CIVIL RIGHTS AND VIETNAM loved BB KING, not to be confused with the THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL ELVIS PRESLEY, but a king he was. B.B. KING was considered one of the most influential blues musicians of all time, earning the nickname “The King of the Blues”, and one of the “Three Kings of the Blues Guitar” (along with Albert King and Freddie King) but for me B.B. KING was not just a blue musician, he was a genuine class act, while living in Memphis in 1979, I met Mr. King, well sort of, my dad was a truck driver and seem to know everyone, I was four years old and my father took me to this club, of course I didn’t go in, but I watched all the people coming out of this club, and a man walked out with my father, they was laughing, talking, just having the best time it seemed, my father was a big talker, and nobody could out talk him, but this guy he was talking to was different, he was hanging with my dad in the talking game, he put out story after story, and it was awesome...........it turned out to be Mr. King himself, I guess my dad and him met years ago before Mr. King became B.B. King, so he walked my old man to his car, my father looks at me and says “SON, SAY HELLO TO MR. KING”.....I said hi to him, he looks at my dad and says” MY GOD MACK, HE LOOK EXACTLY LIKE YOU MAN, EVEN HIS HAIR( I had a afro, it was the 70s mind you) and my dad just laughed and laughed, but he put his hand on my head and calls me a handsome kid............hard to believe that been 36 years, but I remember everything, including that. He was a great blues man,a great entertainer, a great personality, he didn’t have entourages like most singers do now, he didn’t act like he was better then everyone, and he loved performing........right up to the end, that is what makes you unforgettable, that what makes you known............and that is what makes you A LEGEND.............................R.I.P. MR. KING, your thrill may be gone, but your legend will live forever.....................SO SAY WE ALL.