Singin' the Blues

This quintessential collector's edition includes one of his finest albums: Singin' the Blues (1957), originally released by the Crown label at the beginning of King's career. The LP it's a superb collection of King's early hits, originally released on the RPM label. In five short years, B.B. King had matured from an artist looking for a style to the premier bluesman of his generation. His modern style that crosses rock & roll and R&B with the jump blues is fully developed here, and his consistency from track to track is remarkable. On Please Love Me, King combines T-Bone Walker's hard-picking, distorted guitar style with his own mournful singing. The arrangements are smooth and elegant, frequently displaying a hint of jazz, and King is backed by a well-arranged horn section in true Memphis blues fashion. This blues-meets-urban-soul style masterpiece has been packaged in this very special release, which also includes 2 bonus tracks from the same period. Contained here is the cream of the crop from B.B. King's hit-making stretch for Crown Records during his most inspired years. Without a doubt, this is the material upon which B.B.'s kingdom was built. Recorded at different locations between 1951 and 1956.