King of the Blues: 1989
1988 studio album by B. B. King
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King of the Blues: 1989 is an album by the American musician B. B. King, released in 1988.[1][2] It was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Contemporary Blues Recording".[3]
"The Slammer", CA
Waterfront, NJ
Media Sound, NY
Memphis Sound
Ardent
Muscle Shoals, AL
Baby O, CA
| King of the Blues: 1989 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1988 | |||
| Studios | The Village Recorder, CA "The Slammer", CA Waterfront, NJ Media Sound, NY Memphis Sound Ardent Muscle Shoals, AL Baby O, CA | |||
| Genres | Blues, pop | |||
| Length | 51:28 | |||
| Label | MCA | |||
| Producers | Jerry Lynn Williams (all except noted) Al Kooper (2 & 6) Trade Martin (7 & 10) Frederick Knight (9 & 11) | |||
| B. B. King chronology | ||||
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King supported the album with a North American tour, which was a hit due to his appearance in U2's Rattle and Hum.[4][5] King was disappointed that the album and tour did not find much success with Black audiences.[5]
Production
Al Kooper was among the album's four producers.[6] Many of the tracks used drum machines; King was an adopter of home computers and curious about modern studio technology.[7][8] Steve Cropper played rhythm guitar.[9] "Drowning in the Sea of Love" was written by Gamble and Huff.[10] "Can't Get Enough" was King's favorite track.[11]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [12] |
| The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD | [13] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [14] |
| The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | [10] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [15] |
The Orlando Sentinel called the album a "bid for pop- crossover attention."[16] The Calgary Herald wrote that "the songs are so mediocre as to actually give you the blues, and producer Al Kooper has drowned King's occasional stellar guitar work in a sea of keyboards and soulless drum programming."[17] The Kingston Whig-Standard determined that the album "is very contemporary and could easily give Robert Cray a run for his money in the blues-pop-soul category."[18] The Toronto Star labeled it "a bold, big electric blues album from the unassailable master of the field."[9] The Vancouver Sun noted that King of the Blues: 1989 was "more structured and tight than previous albums."[19]
AllMusic concluded: "Over-glossed R&B tracks, heavy doses of keyboards and drum programming are an ideal way to make albums for the pop charts, but for B.B. King, they are tools of disaster."[12] King's biographer, Daniel de Vise, deemed the album perhaps "the low ebb of his recording career."[1]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Jerry Lynn Williams except where noted. Track 11 only on some CD versions.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "(You've Become a) Habit to Me" | 4:45 |
| 2. | "Drowning in the Sea of Love" (Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff) | 4:36 |
| 3. | "Can't Get Enough" | 4:50 |
| 4. | "Standing on the Edge" | 5:19 |
| 5. | "Go On" | 3:50 |
| 6. | "Let's Straighten It Out" (Benny Latimore) | 5:35 |
| 7. | "Change in Your Lovin'" (Joe Amato, Trade Martin) | 3:25 |
| 8. | "Undercover Man" | 5:38 |
| 9. | "Lay Another Log on the Fire" (Frederick Knight) | 4:00 |
| 10. | "Business with My Baby Tonight" (Jeff Rubin, Trade Martin) | 3:35 |
| 11. | "Take Off Your Shoes" (Bettye Crutcher, Frederick Knight) | 5:31 |
Personnel
- B.B. King – vocals, lead guitar
- Tracks produced by Jerry Lynn Williams:
- Jerry Lynn Williams – rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, drum programming (Tracks 1, 3-5, 8)
- Stevie Nicks – backing vocals (3)
- Mick Fleetwood – drums (3, 4, 8)
- Steve Cropper – rhythm guitar (4, 8)
- Marty Grebb – saxophone (3)
- Tom Scott – saxophone (4)
- Loralei Wehba – backing vocals (4, 5)
- Bonnie Raitt – backing vocals (5)
- Chris Mancini – backing vocals (8)
- Tracks produced by Al Kooper:
- Al Kooper – all instruments except left side lead guitar (2, 6)
- The Jim Gilstrap Singers – backing vocals (2, 6)
- Tracks produced by Trade Martin:
- Trade Martin – all rhythm instruments, backing vocals, mixing (7, 10)
- Rodney Kelly – computer programming (7, 10)
- Alfa Anderson, Liliana Pumpido, Joe Amato, Luci Martin, Alfredo Rios – backing vocals (7, 10)
- Randal Brecker, Alan Rubin, James Pugli, Ronnie Cuber, Robert Magnuson, Lou Marini – horns (7, 10)
- Joseph Malignaggi, Ethel Abelson, Ann Barsk, Maura Giannini, Anthony Posk, Carmel Malignaggi – violin (7, 10)
- Tracks produced by Frederick Knight:
- Catherine Henderson, Jewell Bass, Tomasine Anderson – backing vocals (11)
- Ray Griffin – bass guitar (11)
- James Robinson – drums (11)
- Michael Toles & Michael Spriggs (11)
- The Muscle Shoals Horns – horns (11)
- Carson Whitsett, Clayton Ivey & Earnest Williamson – keyboards (11)
Technical
- Courtney Branch & Tracy Kendrick – remixing & additional production (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9)
- Chris Green – engineering (1, 3-5, 8)
- Charlie Brocco, Tom Beiner – assistant engineers (1, 3-5, 8)
- Jimmy Hotz – guitar programming (1, 3-5, 8)
- Richard "Fast Fingers" McIntosh, Rick Delana – engineering (2, 6)
- Chris Steinmetz – assistant engineer (2, 6)
- Doug Conroy – rhythm tracks & mixes (4, 8)
- Roger Rhoads – horns, vocals & strings (4, 8)
- Robert Jackson, John Fleskes, Roosevelt Green, Pete Green – engineering (9, 11)
- Steve Hall – mastering
- Sheila Wolk – artwork