In 2014, the documentary film ‘Mr. Dynamite’ was released in order to document and celebrate the life and career of James Brown and the impact that he had on music. The film contained many exclusive and rare pieces of footage for fans to enjoy – and rare footage is certainly one of our favorite things to see at The Music Man, too. One of the pieces of footage in the film was of a 1970s performance that included not only James Brown but two other musical titans – Bobby Bland and BB King.
The performance began with James sharing that he used to try to sing like Bobby Bland, but admitting that “no one can sing the blues like this man, and our special guest.” BB King was also invited onto the stage, and the trio launched into a medley of blues hits, including “Goin’ Down Slow/Gambler’s Blues/It’s My Own Fault/I’m Sorry.” BB King played his iconic blues-style guitar while Bobby and James shared the microphone, BB joining in on occasion to make up the full trio of bluesy vocalists.
While it was clear the audience was enjoying themselves, cheering as the trio sang, it also became obvious that the trio themselves were thrilled to be performing with each other. They grinned, clapped, and joked with each other. B. B. King, at one point, complimented Bobby Bland’s singing, telling him, “Oh, you sound so good.” They ended the performance with their arms around each other, painting the perfect picture of three legendary musicians together on stage.
That would not be the last time these artists would join up to perform together. In 1983, James Brown and BB King surprised audience members with a performance together at James’ Beverly Hills show. The crowd went wild as BB once again backed James with his iconic blues guitar solos. The duo performed another bluesy medley, including ‘Sex Machine/Sweet Little Angel/Jam/Gonna Have A Fu’ in a performance that Music Man’s soul and blues fans will be thrilled to see.
Seeing the three iconic musicians onstage is not only a reminder of the immortal talent of James Brown but also of the musical legacy he was a part of. Without the great mid-century blues artists such as James Brown, Bobby Bland, and B.B. King, we would not have had funk music, rock music, hip hop, or contemporary R&B, all genres that Music Man readers love, alongside the blues themselves. Seeing these three influential musicians perform together is a moment to appreciate the artists that, without whom, modern music would not have been the same.
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