40 years ago, B.B. King rocked Cook County Jail

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Please note...I just found this today (it was published June 10, 2011)...but I thought it was worth posting anyway. Enjoy.

40 years ago, B.B. King rocked Cook County Jail

BY MARK KONKOL Staff Reporter | [email protected] June 10, 2011 12:23AM

http://www.suntimes.com/5869831-417/the-king-of-cook-county-jail.html



People who love the blues say the jailhouse recording, “B.B. King Live in Cook County Jail,” is one the best live albums ever. Even Rolling Stone magazine listed it as one of the Top 500 albums of all time.

On Wednesday, then-warden Clarence Richard English and a few of his former head-busting jail guards — J.J. Zurek, Ed Curtis and Raul Estrada — returned to the jail yard for the first time since retiring to talk about their memories of the blustery, sunny afternoon.

***

Back then Cook County Jail was a chaotic hell controlled by jail guard lieutenants called “barn bosses,” each with their own band of henchmen. They fought — with their fists and the occasional rifle — to keep heavy-handed control of inmates. King’s concert was an experiment by late jail director Winston Moore, a psychologist who wanted to get rid of the barn bosses. It was a way to keep a lid on the joint by offering the criminals a treat . . . instead of the customary choke hold.

***

Almost every prisoner — 2,117 inmates by one count — sat on the jail yard grass where at least a couple times someone trying to make a break for it by climbing the wall took a bullet from a watchtower sniper.

[BobbyBoring]

1. A Must have

I still have the original "Album" I bought new 40 years ago!

GAWD! Where does time go?????????????

[midnight]

2. Here is a link to the recording.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxtlxq7yqXA

[bluedigger]

3. Thanks for posting that!

I liked the last part where he says he's game to do it again. I saw him about two decades ago because I thought he was about done...:rofl:

[mysuzuki2]

4. I saw BB King at the Kickapoo Creek rock festival in 1970

he was awesome

[Amerigo Vespucci]

5. I saw him with...

...Buddy Guy, Dr. John, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds (this was after Jimmy Vaughan had left).

I was pleasantly surprised as I was expecting the "Vegas" side of BB, which...apparently...is something you get in Vegas. Elsewhere, he SMOKES.

:toast:

[VPStoltz]

6. I heard the King in Seattle some years ago...

I was the very last person to be seated - the seat directly in front of B.B. on the floor at the edge of the stage. Several of us were seated even in front of those in the "front seats." I leaned on the stage and must have looked like I had was in puppy love - it was really man love.
After "The Thrill is Gone" B.B. reached forward and handed me the guitar pick he was using up to that point.
It's been framed!