FREE: BB King CS, "Why I Sing the Blues

The listing, BB King CS, "Why I Sing the Blues has ended.

The CDDB, the on-line repository of CD track and title information, erroneously lists this record as being named B. B. KING'S GREATEST HITS. That's wrong, of course; it's really called WHY I SING THE BLUES. But it's very easy to see how someone could have made that mistake. The songs on here are among King's most famous tracks. There's not a poor number in this collection, so this is absolutely a must-own.

King's guitar-playing abilities have earned him many deserved accolades. But I also really dig his singing on this album. I love the wistfulness in his voice on a track like "Ain't Nobody Home" where he sings about the end of a relationship. The joy in his voice on "Hummingbird" is great. And, of course, his vocals on "How Blue Can You Get?" would re-emerge in the 1990s, sampled on a rock track with an improbably long name (although I don't think that sample was taken from this specific performance).

This is classic B. B. King -- sharp blues, solid music. Nothing absolutely mind-blowing, but certainly good enough to keep you sitting up straight and paying attention. There's a lot to admire and enjoy about this music. This is enduring, dependable music -- the musical equivalent of the proverbial comfortable pair of jeans.