When you think of blues guitar, who comes to mind? Likely one of the first—if not the first—is Mr. B.B. King, the Mississippi-born six-string player who rarely played chords but who always played the most perfect note for the moment.
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But while King, who passed away in 2015 at 89-years-old, is a star on record, with his bell-like voice and crisp, skipping guitar licks, he is also one who excels on the silver and small screens. Here below, we will dive into three such examples. Indeed, these are three movies every B.B. King fan should see.
[RELATED: The 30 Best B.B. King Quotes]
1. B.B. King: The Life of Riley (2012)
This feature-length documentary, directed by Jon Brewer, is all about the life and career of the guitar-playing King (born Riley B. King). Narrated by the Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, this movie tells King’s story from baby in the Mississippi Delta and living in racist parts of America to playing on the world’s biggest stages and changing the way people felt about blues music. The songs alone are worth the price of admission but the story, too, is amazing. Not only did King survive his surroundings as a young person, he ended up flourishing. Check out a trailer here below.
2. Summer of Soul (2021)
This Oscar-winning documentary directed by The Roots co-founder and drummer Questlove displays the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969, which itself featured some of the most iconic artists ever, from Nina Simone to Gladys Knight to B.B. King. It’s an explosion of sound, color and art and somehow the footage was never shown… until recetnly. Check out a trailer for the concert film, which feature’s King’s extraordinary playing, here below.
3. Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)
Here, we go from the sublime to the silly. This 1998 comedy sequel, which is about a formerly imprisoned blues artist (Dan Aykroyd) getting back on his feet as a musician thanks to the help of his friend (John Goodman), is a romp. To fill out the Hollywood plot, the movie includes many a cameo, including one from real blues man B.B. King. He plays Malvern Gasperone, who is a singer and guitar player in the band, The Louisiana Gator Boys, a foil to the main Blues Brothers characters. Check out a trailer for the movie, which also stars artists like Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Dr. John and Bo Diddley, here below.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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