When B.B. King passed away in 2015 at the age of 89, he left behind a challenge. “Do what you can to keep the blues alive,” he often told those who crossed his path.
Today, on what would have been King’s 100th birthday, a new collaborative album launches with the ambition to do exactly that. Titled B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100, the 32-track project assembles a staggering lineup of artists – from old-school titans to next-generation torchbearers – to honor the King’s musical legacy and spiritual influence.
More from Spin:
- 6 Alt-Rock Artists You Need to Hear Right Now
- Now Hear This: Sept. 2025
- Erica Fox is the Next Generation of Rocking Session Guitarists
Spearheaded by blues guitarist and historian Joe Bonamassa, the project was born out of equal parts admiration and frustration. “Very few people in music define the genre in which they flourish, and B.B. King is one of them,” Bonamassa says. “When B.B. was alive and active, he was the blues – he was the sun which all planets rotated around.”
Bonamassa’s connection to King is lifelong. He opened for him at just 12 years old—an experience that would shape his musical identity and forge a friendship that lasted decades. “He mentored me,” Bonamassa has said. “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.”
But as King’s centennial approached, Bonamassa noticed a lack of formal celebration and decided to take matters into his own hands. With the blessing and cooperation of the B.B. King estate, he reached out to friends, mentors, and musical heroes to ask if they would record a B.B. King song in his honor.
The answer, unanimously, was yes.
The first five tracks arrive this week via KTBA Records, with standout performances from Michael McDonald, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Bobby Rush, George Benson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and D.K. Harrell. A new wave of songs will be released monthly through February 2026, culminating in a full digital album, double CD, and triple LP release on February 9, 2026.
The B.B. King Estate, which worked closely with Bonamassa and his team, offered its full support in a joint statement:
“The Blues are the roots, the rest are the fruits. These timeless words from B.B. King capture the essence of his life’s work – reminding us that all music, and indeed much of culture, grows from the Blues,” shared Estate Chairman Vassal Gradington Benford III. “Together with Joe Bonamassa, along with other great artists, we celebrate not only Mr. King’s extraordinary music, but also his enduring spirit of love, unity, and the joy he brought to generations.”
The tracklist reads like a who’s who of contemporary roots music. Today’s initial drop includes a gospel-soaked rendition of “To Know You Is To Love You” with McDonald, Tedeschi, and Trucks; a show-stopping “Why I Sing The Blues” with Bobby Rush; a sleek, big-band reimagining of “Let The Good Times Roll” featuring Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Noah Hunt; a silky “There Must Be A Better World Somewhere” from George Benson; and a powerhouse version of “Every Day I Have The Blues” by 26-year-old Louisiana phenom D.K. Harrell.
Future releases will include contributions from Buddy Guy, Slash, Shemekia Copeland, Aloe Blacc, Keb’ Mo’, Marcus King, Dion, Larkin Poe, and more. Each artist was matched with material that reflected their connection to King – as a guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and cultural icon. “He’s known as a guitar player,” Bonamassa notes, “but if Frank Sinatra says, ‘Hey, this is one of my favorite singers in the world,’ you listen. He could shake the ground with that chest voice.”
The production, handled by Bonamassa and his longtime collaborator Josh Smith, was designed to elevate rather than modernize. Some tracks use lush horn and string arrangements; others stay lean and gritty. Across the board, there’s a reverence for the source material that feels less like nostalgia and more like stewardship.
That love is most evident in the pairings – some familiar, others surprising. Bobby Rush, who met B.B. King in 1948, delivers his vocals with lived-in authority. Kenny Wayne Shepherd recalls getting life advice from King on his 16th birthday. And D.K. Harrell, who opened for Bonamassa just last year, credits King’s catalog as the blueprint for his sound.
With Blues Summit 100, Bonamassa also continues his mission through KTBA Records, an offshoot of his nonprofit Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation. In addition to supporting music education in schools, the label has become a vehicle for spotlighting underappreciated talent and honoring the blues as a foundational American art form.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or just blues-curious, the project offers an accessible, emotionally rich way to reconnect with one of the most important legacies in music history – piece by piece, month by month.
As Bonamassa puts it, “You only get one shot to do this correctly. And I think we nailed it.”
To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.
