My Kind of Blues (B.B. King album)

My Kind of Blues is a studio album by American bluesman B. B. King. According to biographer David McGee, the songs were recorded in 1958 at the Chess Records studios in Chicago.[1] However, researcher Colin Escott identifies the recordings as being from a March 3, 1960 session, when King was under contract to the Bihari brothers and recorded in the Los Angeles area.[2]

My Kind of Blues
Studio album by
B. B. King
Released1960 (1960)
Recorded1958 or 1960
GenreBlues
LabelCrown
B. B. King chronology
King of the Blues
(1960)		 My Kind of Blues
(1960)		 More B.B. King
(1961)

The Bihari's budget Crown Records issued the album in 1960. The liner notes contained a blurb about King's "particular form of jazz ... blues-belter extraordinary" and little else.[3] McGee notes that King is backed by a small combo composed of pianist Lloyd Glenn, bassist Ralph Hamilton, and drummer Jessie Sailes[1] (most of King's recordings at the time included a horn section).[4]

Three singles from the album were released by the Bihari's Kent Records; "Walkin' Mr. Bill" reached number 23 on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides chart in October 1960.[5] In 2003, My Kind of Blues was reissued on CD by Ace Records with eight bonus tracks.[1]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]

In a review for AllMusic, critic George Bedard rated the album three out of five stars and called it "a masterpiece: a sparse, uncluttered sound with nothing to mask King's beautiful guitar and voice".[6]

Track listing

The original Crown LP and many reissues do not list the songwriters, producers, nor running times.[3] Details are taken the AllMusic review[6] and may differ from other sources.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now"B. B. King, Joe Josea a.k.a. Joe Bihari5:15
2."Mr. Pawnbroker"King, Jules Taub a.k.a. Jules Bihari3:16
3."Understand"Cecil Gant2:39
4."Someday Baby"Lightnin' Hopkins2:54
5."Driving Wheel"Roosevelt Sykes2:52
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Walking Dr. Bill"Doctor Clayton3:41
2."My Own Fault"King3:34
3."Catfish Blues"Josea, King, Traditional2:29
4."Hold That Train"Clayton3:58
5."Please Set a Date"Minnie McCoy a.k.a. Memphis Minnie2:49

References
  1. McGee 2005, p. 100.
  2. Escott 2002, pp. 66–67.
  3. Marlo 1960, Back cover.
  4. Ecsott 2002, p. 66.
  5. Whitburn 1988, p. 239.
  6. Bedard, George. "B.B King: My Kind of Blues – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved March 13, 2020.

Sources
  • Escott, Colin (2002). B.B. King: The Vintage Years (Box set booklet). B.B. King. Ace Records. Ace ABOXCD 8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Marlo, John (1960). My Kind of Blues (Album notes). B.B. King. Culver City, California: Crown Records. CLP 5188.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • McGee, David (2005). B.B. King: There Is Always One More Time. San Francisco, California: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-0-87930-843-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Whitburn, Joel (1988). "B.B. King". Top R&B Singles 1942–1988. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. ISBN 0-89820-068-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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