Secrets of the Guitar Heroes: B.B. King

When you're deep into a solo, what's going on in your head?
I'm not sure anyone's ever asked me that before. I wish I knew how to tell you. Sometimes I forget who I am. When I'm on the stage, I won't be thinking about, hey, boy, I'm something else. I'm thinking about trying to tell this story that I want you to understand. It's like now, just talking with you, it makes me feel good if I can make you understand what I'm trying to tell you. Even if I don't have all the words, I'm doing my best. That's the same way I think about the music.

What do you think of what Eddie Van Halen does?
Oh, he's good. He's good. He's an artist, a great guitarist. That's what he is. You know, a way I think about guitar players today, I think of them as I do doctors. You've got the MD, then you've got the heart surgeon. And the surgeon for this and that and so on. He's one of those specialists.

So what would that make you, then?
B.B. King.

And you still play guitar every day?
Now, I don't practice every day. I just take the guitar, swear at it. But I should be swearing at myself. But I fool with music. I'm doing something musically all the time. And my ears are wide open for anything I can hear. I've never heard anybody play that didn't play something I like. But I'm going to tell you something else that will bust your bubble. I've never heard anybody play everything I liked. And I'm a big record buyer. I've bought records and CDs and all that ever since I could make a dollar to get them. But generally I buy a CD or bought the records or whatever for one or two cuts, maybe three cuts in the CD, not for the whole CD.

Some people criticized guitarists like Eric Clapton, claiming they were taking playing in the wrong direction, playing too many notes and losing the emotion of the instrument. What do you think about that?
God, no. Clapton, I met him when he was about 18. Hendrix and all these guys. Even today, in my opinion Clapton is number one. He's the best rock and roll guitarist in my opinion of the day. And he plays blues better than most of us.

What legacy would you like to leave?
I tried. I'd like for them to think that I tried, because I did. I believe I'm just ordinary. And I'd like for people to think of me that way, as just a guy that tried. Wanted to be loved by other people because he loved people.

[From Issue 1054 — June 12, 2008]

Related Stories:

• B.B. King