Joe Bonamassa - B.B. King's Blues Summit 100, Vol. III (2025)

Joe Bonamassa Announces B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100, A Landmark Tribute Album Featuring Dozens Of Music Stars To Celebrate The King Of Blues’ 100th Birthday.

The result is a bespoke project, nine months in the making, with contributions from Buddy Guy, Keb' Mo', Slash, Shemekia Copeland, Marcus King, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Larkin Poe, Jimmie Vaughan, Warren Haynes, Dion, Aloe Blacc, Kirk Fletcher, and many others. Each artist was matched with material that felt personal – sometimes surprising – and all were given space to interpret King’s catalog through their own lens.

Bonamassa, who first opened for B.B. King at age 12, credits the blues titan with shaping his approach to music and life. “He mentored me,” says Bonamassa. “But I wasn't the only one. All the people in his orbit have the same story about how kind B.B. was, and how he embraced the younger generation.”

As producer, Bonamassa paid special attention to preserving the quality and emotional authenticity of the work. Tracks like "The Thrill Is Gone" were given the full treatment with real strings, horns, and whatever else was needed to do them justice. “You only get one shot to do this correctly,” he says. “And I think we nailed it.”

The project also highlights King’s extraordinary vocal prowess – a trait often overshadowed by his legendary guitar playing. “He's known as a guitar player, but if Frank Sinatra says, ‘Hey, this is one of my favorite singers in the world,’ you listen,” says Bonamassa. “He could shake the ground with that chest voice.”

For the artists involved, the project was more than a musical endeavor – it was a chance to reflect on King’s cultural and personal significance. Bobby Rush, who met King in 1948, called him "the man I looked up to all my life" and recalls leading the hearse at his funeral. Kenny Wayne Shepherd shared a story about receiving life advice from King on his 16th birthday. Marcus King remembers leaning against the back wall at a B.B. King show as a child, a moment that stayed with him forever.

Other pairings bring together artists from different genres and generations, including Train’s Pat Monahan with guitarist Chris Buck on “Think It Over,” and Shemekia Copeland, Slash, and Myles Kennedy joining forces for “When Love Comes to Town.”

The album title is a nod to King’s Grammy-winning 1993 album Blues Summit. For Bonamassa, this project is less a swan song than a mission fulfilled. “B.B.’s only wish was, ‘Do what you can to keep the blues alive,’” he says. “Well, hopefully this album gives a B12 shot to his legacy – and to the legacy of the blues.”

King, who passed away in 2015 at 89 years old, left behind a legacy as a performer, songwriter, and global ambassador. With over 50 albums, 15 Grammy Awards, and performances in nearly every corner of the globe, he introduced the blues to millions and inspired generations. As Buddy Guy once said, “Every electric guitarist you listen to, there’s a little bit of B.B. in there.”

The first five tracks from B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100 are available on all digital platforms today, with six additional songs to be released monthly through February 9th, 2026 – the date the full album arrives in both digital and physical formats.