By Carolyn W. Gaines
Shirley King lands in Palms Springs to make Blues musical sound like her Dad B. B. king. Shirley King sings Blues for her fans, and she means ‘Blues’ Business. November 28th, and 29th, 2014, the Purple Room in Palm Springs, is getting geared up for her to perform in the Desert-like B. B. King, Etta James, and Coco Taylor all rolled up in one. Shirley King wants all of her devotees to show up and enjoy her performances for two-nights only at 7:00 PM, Friday and Saturday.
What does the daughter of the Blues mean? Shirley King is the daughter of the most powerful Blues entertainer alive today, Mr. B. B.King. King and Gaines both names are not unknown in the Blues world. I’m the daughter of Legendary Roy Gaines, who is a great Blues guitarist and vocalist. I interviewed B. B. King’s daughter on the telephone. Shirley began talking about songs that have names of food in the Blues Lyrics.
Let’s begin chatting with Shirley King:
Have you ever heard of a song that had the word pickles in the Lyrics? She said, “No, but in the Old days, they wrote a lot of songs about food. Older Blues stars indicated, “I Want My Meat Man.” If you study Bessie Smith’s Lyrics were “I Want You To Put A Wiener On My Bun.” I informed her that I wrote a song called, “Mr. Dill Pickle” that Buddy Guy’s lead guitarist produced the track. I mentioned to her that I wrote a song called ”I Want Your Money, Honey” that I gave to Buddy Guy. Shirley said,” I like to be singing about “I Want Your Money, Honey” and Mr. Dill Pickle.” You can goggle it, 40 women singing softly the Blues, and Valerie Wellington a Blues Singer, who vocalized about my meat man.”
What do you enjoy about being the King Of Blues Daughter? She said, ”I totally enjoy being B. B.King’s daughter because everybody likes my Dad. I never met anyone saying anything bad about my Dad. I got inside the doors because I’m his daughter.
I’m very horned.”
Are you going in the studio soon?
She said,”I was in the studio for a whole year. I just pulled from working with my producer. My work is stuck on the shelves.”
Do you have a manager, and an agent?
She said, “I am booking myself. I have not gotten that far because my Dad is still alive. My sister recorded an album that won “New Artist” of the year from the WC Handy Awards.”
Does your 14 years old grand-daughter serenade the “Thrill Is Gone” in Spanish?
Yes, which is her grand father’s hit song that came out in 1969 as a hit-record of on ABC. My grand-daughter can reach the Spanish Markets that B. B., and I cannot. She can help cross Blues over in the Latin Market. Willie Dixon’s who was famous on Chess Records with Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy in 1950s and 1960s. Dixon’s grand daughter is singing the Blues, now.”
Shirley and I talked about a few of her Blues Pains.
She said,” Rappers are not the first to come up with Rap or their different types of stage names. Blues Artists like Muddy Waters and B. B. were not born with stage names in the 1930s and 1940s. White people love the Blues and respect the Blues,but African Americans we are the Blues. We came from the Blues history. How could I like the Blues? I hated the Blues when I was young, because it took my Dad away from me.” Her father B. B. King said to me back stage at the Greek Theatre, that he don’t think he was a good father because he was always on the road.”
What Concert did you go see growing up?
She said,”I saw Jackie Wilson and No Blues singer on that show. I did see Etta James, and James Brown together in concert. ”
Who was some of your favorite Blues Singers?
Etta James whom I watched growing up in the Blues Old Days. She was an all around singer. She sang in the Key of F. It was about Etta Jame’s images and her Mold some say she penciled it on her face. Up to the time of this day growing up watching Etta James. I wanted to be a performer.”
What surprise did you received on your Birthday?
She said,” Etta James called me on my birthday, because of my son who was working on a show with my Dad. That was a moment that I will never for ever forget.”
Have you ever sang Blues to Kids?
She said,”Yes, to my grandchildren, kids throughout Chicago and around the world. I was doing Blues In the Schools Program. Kids got to experience singing the Blues with me. They loved the song called,’I Got My Mojo Working’. If you think, you don’t like the Blues, then you should try the Blues. Example: If a kid gets bad grades in school that the Blues, and if you don’t have any Milk in your refrigerator that is the Blues. We don’t have one school in the United States to teach Blues. No, Blues Teachers going in the school’s teaching kids Blues. The first thing that is cut out of the school is Art and Music. I informed her that I am a Blues Teacher, and I have taught Blues History for 15 years.”
My last question is what I asked B. B. King, Roy Gaines, Shemekia Copeland, Guitar Shorty, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Oscar De La Hoya, and Floyd Mayweather Sr.
The End is here and What Question can you send to the kids about Blues?
She said,” Try Blues and give Blues a chance and see, if you like Blues.” Just A Special Note: She said,”Blues Festivals should have Blues projects for Kids. Many people children only know B. B. King because of the Diabetic Commercials. We have not been able to keep Blues Music alive today. Each time a Blues Artist dies the Blues goes along with him. I don’t know how the Blues is going to survive: I just stop crying.”
November 28th, and 29th, 2014, the Purple Room.
Visit their website. http://purpleroompalmsprings.com
1900 E Palm Canyon Dr • Palm Springs, CA 92264
Phone: 760.322.4422
