BB King’s 20 favourite singers of all time
Guitarists across all genres in the modern age owe a debt to BB King. He wasn’t just a talented musician who captivated audiences; he revolutionised the way people approached the instrument. His influence was deeply felt in the blues and extended into rock, psychedelic music, and various other genres that followed.
Even today, 70 years after BB King started his career, his playing style can still be heard. He implemented different styles and playing techniques that anybody keen on playing the guitar should study. His range in terms of nuances and technique and his approach to soloing are completely addictive.
However, because he was such a good guitarist, it’s often overlooked how good his voice was. He had a real blues-infused croak in his voice that was equal parts sweet-sounding and sad. Considering the blues was a genre that relied heavily on despair and heartache, he had the perfect whisky-laced subtle tone for it.
He also collaborated with several different musicians who helped enhance his life performances. He was lucky enough to work with a range of different people and, as such, has a good knowledge of excellent singers. It begs the question, who would he consider the best singers of all time?
One of his favourite singers was Sammy Davis Jr, who was massively respected as an American singer, actor, and dancer with hits like ‘Something’s Gotta Give’, ‘We Open In Venice’, and ‘All Of You’. The Grammys awarded him a lifetime achievement award in 2001; however, he was unfortunately unable to collect it as he passed away before that as a result of complications with throat cancer.
He also lists Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Howlin Wolf. Wolf continues to have a major influence on music, and BB King and Wolf performed together in the ‘40s at a club called The Top Hat. “I first met him in 1949 at a place out from Memphis called Black Fish Lake,” said King, recalling the first night they met, “A guy called Willie Ford had a club there called the Top Hat, and Wolf had been playing for him. I think Wolf had a death in his family, so he had to go back to where he lived at the time.”
He continued, “While he was gone, Willie Ford hired me to play in his place. So I was there for two weekends before Wolf came back. Willie Ford liked us both, so he didn’t want to fire either of us. But he couldn’t afford both of us, so he let us both play that night.”
His list includes several other singers, each from different music genres. A complete list of his 20 favourites can be found below.
BB King’s favourite singers:
- Sammy Davis Jr
- Frank Sinatra
- Sarah Vaughan
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Howlin’ Wolf
- Lonnie Johnson
- Bobby Bland
- Johnny Adams
- Sam Cooke
- Luther Vandross
- Nat King Cole
- Bonnie Raitt
- Willie Nelson
- Ray Charles
- Dinah Washington
- Aretha Franklin
- Whitney Houston
- Etta James
- Gladys Knight
- Barry White
