James "Boogaloo" Bolden on Touring with BB King for 38 Years

A Legacy of the Blues

• 👑 The interview celebrates the enduring legacy of BB King, the King of the Blues, highlighting his Mississippi roots and significant impact on music genres originating from Houston, Texas.
• 🌟 James "Boogaloo" Bolden, a musical director and trumpeter, shares his admiration for King, noting his own origins in Arkansas and his grandfather's playful imitation of BB King.

Joining BB King's Band

• 🎺 Bolden recounts how he joined BB King's band through Calvin Owens, after a stint with the Duke Ellington orchestra.
• 🎶 Initially planning to stay for only a year to experience the blues, Bolden found himself captivated by King's generosity and love, leading him to stay for 38 years.
• 🌍 Touring with King meant traveling the world, with BB treating the band like family and ensuring everyone's needs were met, sometimes at his own expense.

Memorable Moments and Collaborations

• 🏟️ A standout memory for Bolden was performing at an outdoor festival in England with an audience of 150,000 people, alongside artists like Mick Jagger and U2.
• 🤝 A significant collaboration was a four-month tour with U2, aimed at introducing BB King to a younger audience, during which U2 wrote the song "When Love Comes to Town" for him.
• 📺 BB King's influence extended to television, with appearances on shows like Sanford and Son and The Cosby Show, underscoring his massive reach.

Business Acumen and Performance Philosophy

• 💼 BB King actively taught Bolden about the music business, including dealing with people, record companies, and managing various roles within the band, such as bandleader and road manager.
• 🚪 King's advice was to sometimes sacrifice or