What "style" of Blues is BB King, and who are some performers that play a similar style?

Question

I have just "discovered" blues music, and so far I love BB King. What "style" of blues is he considered, and who are some other musicians similar to BB? Thanks

Answer 1

The Beal Street Blues Boy. RIley B. King. King of the Missisipi Delta Blues.

If you really want history, look into Robert Johnson, T-Bone Walker, Muddy Waters, Hubert Sumlin, Buddy Guy, just to name a few.

Answer 2

Bb King Style

Answer 3

The closest thing to BB King today (other than BB himself!) is Chris Cain, whose two biggest influences were BB and Albert King.

For the roots of modern electric guitar blues, you can include Elmore James. Definitely T-Bone Walker too. Continue on through BB & Albert, Albert Collins, Freddie King, Mike Bloomfield, Harvey Mandel, Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, W. C. Clark, Mick Taylor, Coco Montoya, Luther Allison, Roy Buchanan, Guitar Shorty & Little Charlie Baty. There are a lot of others, but this list offers a pretty fair start.

Answer 4

B.B. really has jumped around in styles.

In his early days, he was considered almost Texas blues, as he did most of his early recordings based on the Kent label, where Lowell Fulson, another one in BB's vein recorded. You can also hear alot of T-Bone Walker in his playing during this time.

Much like Lowell, BB shifted his style in the early to mid 60s to big band blues or urban blues. Playing with a bigger band and horns. This pretty much has been a staple of BB ever since.

However, post 1969 (and the The Thrill Is Gone) BB tried to reach out to the more R&B crowd and started recording more R&B influenced blues or what today is considered Soul-Blues. He also did some fantastic live albums with Bobby Bland at this time.

BB now is more of a mixture of his urban styles of the mid 60s and his RnB of the 70s at his shows, but during most live performances he sticks to his hits which is more or less blues and soul-blues.

Some other guys to check out would be Albert King, Albert Collins, Robert Cray (especially for the more R&B sounds), Otis Rush, Lowell Fulson & T-Bone Walker as per mentioned above, Fenton Robinson, Jimmy Johnson, Arthur Adams (did a great album with BB on the Blind Pig label), Colin James & the Little Big Band, and Buddy Guy's Chess & Vanguard recordings.

Answer 5

Chicago blues is his primary style but he has recorded some jazzy stuff as well as soulful or blue soul. Buddy Guy is one of the best Chicago blues musicians & one heck of a guitarist. Magic Sam, Chris Cain, Lucky Peterson, Otis Rush, Albert King. Just a few I would also recommend other artists who are not exactly Chicago style such as Ronnie Earl, Kenny Neal, Freddie King,Debbie Davies, Chris Duarte (texas blues), Stevie Ray Vaughn, Kid Ramos Band, Rick Holmstrom, Jimmy Thackery. Pick up a copy of Living Blues magazine & check out the CD reviews always provide a good source of new blues. "If you don't like blues you have a hole in your soul"

Answer 6

I'm not exactly sure what style B.B. King would be considered, but I would probably place him in the "urban blues" or "Chicago Blues" style - they use amplifiers and electric guitars. Traditional-style "Delta" (i.e., Mississippi River delta) blues is more acoustic and acoustic-slide. Muddy Waters is definitely one to check out, as is Albert Collins, Albert King, Buddy Guy, and a whole lot more. Enjoy your search!

Answer 7

B.B. King is usually thought of as a Memphis blues style player. Much of his guitar work is very similar to Chicago or South Chicago style but the way he arranges his horn section and relies on them to provide a large part of his sound puts him into the Memphis sub-category. No expert but that's my opinion. Another reason why I say this, is that even early in his career he used very little harmonica in his arrangements. Harp is not really a staple in the South Chicago style but many of the Chicago style arrangers even used harp with horn sections, where as harp with the more sophisticated horn pieces in the Memphis style would make harp out of place or at least a little awkward.

Answer 8

B.B. came out of Memphis, but I associate his style with "Kansas City" Blues. It's more of an "uptown" bigger band approach. As contrasted with smaller grittier blues groups.

You may like Albert Collins. And don't forget T-Bone Walker and Louis Jordan (a couple of of B.B.'s own favorites).

Answer 9

Soul Blues - Etta James, Bobby Rush, Johnny Taylor and Bobby Blue Band

Answer 10

I would classify BB as "urban blues". He is a "single note" (at a time") guitar player. I say urban because his style does not come from one city or area and he does not permit any "country" or "folk" blues elements like harmonica in his arrangements. He is "urban", a city player. His style probably stems from the jazz guitar players of the 1930's who amplified their guitars to be heard in the jazz orchestra and played single string leads. Players like Charlie Christian. Despite his being from Memphis, I'd say his greatest influences were probably jump blues players from Texas who ended up in the L.A. ghetto like T.Bone Walker and Lowell Fulsom