Today (September 16) marks what would have been B.B King’s 100th birthday, and in honor of the milestone, Joe Bonamassa has helped spearhead a star-studded tribute album to the late blues icon titled B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100. The 32-track collection will be released in its entirety on February 6, 2026, but multiple songs will be made available in monthly installments leading up to the album’s arrival.
Videos by American Songwriter
Bonamassa, who was just 12 years old when he first opened a show for King, told American Songwriter that putting together the album was “a labor of love.” The 48-year-old blues whiz explained that he decided to take on the project when he discovered, to his amazement, that no major tribute had been planned for B.B.’s 100th birthday.
[RELATED: 4 Examples of B.B. King’s Best Performances]
Bonamassa, with help from his musical director and rhythm guitarist, Josh Smith, sprang into action. A list of songs was put together, and desired musicians were contacted, with Joe and his backing band recording most of the basic tracks separately. Within nine months, the entire album was just about finished.
B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100 features versions of many of King’s most famous songs performed by artists from various genres. They include blues veterans, rock legends, acclaimed soul artists, and up-and-coming blues musicians and singers.
Here’s just a partial list of contributors: Paul Rodgers, Michael McDonald, Buddy Guy, Slash & Myles Kennedy, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks, Dion, George Benson, Warren Haynes, Train, Jimmie Vaughan, Bobby Rush, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Marcus King, Larkin Poe, Keb’ Mo’, Gary Clark Jr., Ivan Neville, Kim Wilson, and Aloe Blacc.
Bonamassa Explains How the Album Came Together
Bonamassa shared details with American Songwriter about how B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100 came together.
“Well, it was brought to my attention last fall that B.B. had turned 99, and I expected by December some producer or some label to be calling me to guest [on a tribute album],” he explained. “I get called to guest on these kinds of things all the time, and nobody called. And I’m like, well, certainly somebody’s a year ahead here, and been working on this centennial thing. We did some digging, talked to the family … nothing. And I was like, come on, we can’t just let this go.”
He continued, “So, we started in January. Said, we’re gonna do it ourselves. And … with my band, we cut 22 songs initially, and then we did another eight, and then another three on the road. And … basically, we had a wish list of people. … So we just kind of started throwing it out there, and we got nothing but positive responses. And next thing you know, by June, early July, about six months into the project, there you go, we got most of the record.
Bonamassa added, “It was a lot of work. It’s a miracle that we’re talking about this in September, that we got this done, you know. And … if it wasn’t for B.B. King, I don’t think we would’ve gotten that done. … But people kind of jumped at the chance.”
Five Advance Tracks from the Album Are Available Now
Coinciding with the album announcement, the first five advance tracks have been made available via digital formats. They are “To Know You Is to Love You,” a collaboration between McDonald, Tedeschi, and Trucks; “Let the Good Times Roll,” featuring Shepherd and singer Noah Hunt; “There Must Be a Better World Somewhere,” featuring Benson; “Why I Sing the Blues,” featuring Rush; and “Every Day I Have the Blues,” featuring young Louisiana blues phenom D.K. Harrell.
Bonamassa told American Songwriter the collaboration between McDonald and Tedeschi & Trucks came about as “a happy accident.”
He explained that the Doobie Brothers singer and the married duo both were interested in recording “To Know You Is to Love You.”
“We’re like, ‘[We] can’t say no to Michael. Can’t say no to Derek and Susan,’” Joe recalled. “[So we asked them,] ‘Hey … would you guys be interested in doing it together?’ And [Tedeschi and Trucks] loved the idea. They [were] like, ‘We always wanted to do something with Michael.’ I’m like, ‘Great. Let’s boogie.’ And Michael was like, ‘I always wanted to do something with them.’”
Six additional tracks from the album will be made available each month until the full collection arrives in February 2026.
More About the Tribute Album and About B.B. King
The album’s title is a nod to King’s Grammy-winning 1993 album, Blues Summit. B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100 can be pre-ordered now. It will be available as a two-CD set, a three-LP vinyl package, and via digital formats.
The album is being released on Bonamassa’s own label, Keeping the Blues Alive Records. One of the tracks, a version of King’s classic 1970 hit “The Thrill Is Gone,” was recorded by some famous artists who will be revealed as a later date.
King died in May 2015 at the age of 89. During his long career, he scored dozens of R&B hits, and won 15 Grammy Awards. He also influenced countless artists in various genres.
Bonamassa told American Songwriter that in choosing artists to take part in the tribute album, “[T]he criteria you got to be able to bring it, you know? It’s for B.B. King. And I think everybody brought it, extra special … because it was for him.”
Joe also revealed that he’s hoping to organize a concert with some of the guest artists to celebrate King’s legacy.
“That’s the obvious next step for us,” he maintained. “So, we’ll figure it out. We’ll figure it out next year. Right now, I’m just happy to get this done.”
B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100 Two-CD Track List:
Disc 1
- “Paying the Cost to Be the Boss” – featuring Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
- “Don’t Answer the Door” – featuring Marcus King
- “To Know You Is to Love You” – featuring Michael McDonald, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks
- “Let the Good Times Roll” – featuring Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Noah Hunt
- “Sweet Little Angel” – featuring Buddy Guy
- “When It All Comes Down (I’ll Still Be Around)” – featuring Larry McCray
- “When Love Comes to Town” – featuring Slash, Shemekia Copeland & Myles Kennedy
- “The Thrill Is Gone”*
- “Watch Yourself” – featuring Jimmie Vaughan
- “Why I Sing the Blues” – featuring Bobby Rush
- “Sweet Sixteen” – featuring Jimmy Hall & Larry Carlton
- “Don’t You Want a Man Like Me” – featuring Larkin Poe
- “I’ll Survive” – featuring Keb’ Mo’
- “Heartbreaker” – featuring Trombone Shorty & Eric Gales
- “There Must Be a Better World Somewhere” – featuring George Benson
- “Chains and Things” – featuring Gary Clark Jr.
Disc 2:
- “How Blue Can You Get” – featuring Warren Haynes
2.. “You Upset Me Baby” – featuring Chris Cain - “Ghetto Woman” – featuring Ivan Neville
- “Night Life” – featuring Paul Rodgers
- “Ain’t Nobody Home” – featuring Jade MacRae & Robben Ford
- “Bad Case of Love” – featuring Joanne Shaw Taylor
- “Never Make a Move Too Soon” – featuring Dion
- “Three O’Clock Blues” – featuring Marc Broussard
- “Think It Over” – featuring Train & Chris Buck
- “It’s My Own Fault” – featuring Kim Wilson
- “Every Day I Have the Blues” – featuring D.K. Harrell
- “Please Accept My Love” – featuring John Nemeth
- “So Excited” – featuring Aloe Blacc
- “When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer” – featuring Dannielle De Andrea
- “Playin’ with My Friends”
- “Better Not Look Down” – featuring Kirk Fletcher
* = special guests for this track will be announced soon.
(Photo by Debra Bonamassa)
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