Review: Joe Bonamassa Hosts ‘B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100’ – Star Studded Blues Jam “Celebrating The King Of The Blues”

Guitar genius Joe Bonamassa has pulled together a host of musicians to celebrate what would have been the 100th birthday of blues legend B.B. King with the release of B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100, chalk full of blues guitar power and stars galore. I’ve always loved B.B. King, although I was only honored to see him once in concert, outside, down at the Liberty Memorial one 4th of July.

B.B.’s last studio album, One Kind Favor, produced by T. Bone Burnett is still in high rotation here at B&V. He also recorded one of the essential live albums of all time with Live At The Regal. The man was responsible for so much great blues music over his storied career. It’s only fitting that Joe would pull together this star-studded lineup to celebrate B.B.’s 100th birthday, which was actually September 16th, 2025. Bonamassa cribbed the title from B.B.’s 1993 album Blues Summit which was also full of guest stars.

My friend, Drummer Blake, has told me a few times that “the blues are dead.” But if my infrequent trips down to B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ for the Sunday night blues jam (no affiliation w/ B.B. King) has taught me anything, people still dig the blues.

One of my first dates with the Rock Chick was to B.B.’s Lawnside… watching her groove on her bar stool swinging a half-eaten rib around like a baton is a cherished memory, believe me… Just this year we’ve had two great, brand new LPs that are steeped in the blues from Van Morrison (Somebody Tried To Sell Me A Bridge) and Lucinda Williams (World’s Gone Wrong). It may be the rough times we’re facing but the blues seem very much alive right now.

A few years back Mick Fleetwood released a live album (and documentary film) of a tribute concert he put together for Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green. It was another star studded affair, like this one with folks from Steven Tyler to David Gilmour showing up to play the blues. This album, like that live album, just feels like one of those Saturday afternoon blues jams where folks from all over jump on stage and play the blues. There’s a ton of great music on this record, but then these are B.B. King songs, of course it’s great blues music. We get big horns and swinging piano. It’s just wonderful.

There’s a mix of rock stars and true blues guys on this record. On the blues side, we’ve got great tracks from contemporary blues guys Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, who kicks things off with “Paying The Cost To Be The Boss” and Marcus King who jumps in on “Don’t Answer That Door,” which I loved. Neither of those guys are even 30 yet.

We also get some great contributions from some of B.B.’s contemporaries. Legend Buddy Guy shows up on a spectacular version of “Sweet Little Angel,” also once covered by the Jeff Beck Group. Bobby Rush, at 93, still kills on “Why I Sing The Blues” and adds a great harmonica solo there. Keb Mo does “I’ll Survive” and he’s feeling it. Brit Joanne Shaw Taylor is great on “Bad Case Of Love.”

The horns are front and center for Trombone Shorty and Eric Gales version of “Heartbreaker” (not the Zeppelin song). Jade McCrae takes the mic with Robben Ford on guitar for “Ain’t Nobody Home.” And remember all of these great blues songs also boast Joe Bonamassa on the guitar as well. One of the highlights for me is when blues singer Shameka Copeland duets with Myles Kennedy with Slash on guitar for U2’s “When Love Comes To Town.”

We know Slash loves the blues from his last LP, 2024’s blues cover LP Orgy Of The Damned. That one was another star studded affair with Slash playing guitar with various singers taking the microphone. But Slash isn’t the only rock star to show up on this wonderful album. Amongst the great blues singers we get a ton of rock stars as well.

“To Know You Is To Love You” was a huge surprise with Michael McDonald of Doobie Brothers and Yacht Rock fame on down and dirty keyboard and vocals. He’s doing a duet with Susan Tedeschi with her husband Derek Trucks on guitar. It shouldn’t work but it does… it’s the blues after all.

Chaka Khan(!) takes the microphone for B.B.’s signature tune “The Thrill Is Gone” with a Mr. Eric Clapton joining Bonamassa on guitar. Chaka brings it. Jimmie Vaughan (Stevie Ray’s brother) brings the energy on “Watch Yourself.” The ladies of Larkin Poe do a nice gender bending twist on “Don’t You Want A Man Like Me.”

“Chains And Things” with guitar whiz Gary Clark Jr, who we should write about more here, is a standout track. Warren Haynes of the Allman Brothers and Government Mule gives us the slow burn on “How Blue Can You Get.” Paul Rodgers of Bad Company and The Firm smolders on “Night Life.” Bonamassa also slays on that song. Dion, who’s made a nice career out of singing the blues sings on “Never Make Your Move Too Soon.” Be ready to shuffle your feet around on that one.

There are so many highlights here. I’m sure that B.B. King would be proud of these disciples of the blues gathering, as if at a blues jam, to celebrate the storied life and career of one of the blues greatest stars. To Drummer Blake the blues may be dead and gone but listening to this wonderful tribute album, the blues are alive and well at B&V. This is just a fun record to listen to. It’s upbeat and a lot of this music just swings, baby.

Maybe it’s the awful timeline we’re all living in right now but 2026 has kicked off to be quite a bluesy year so far in new music and I’m here for it. As I’ve said before, all great classic rock has a foundation in the blues… well, except maybe the Beatles… those cats were other worldly.

This is fun music for a Saturday afternoon, sitting in front of the fire, transport me to Memphis kind of day. Enjoy this one at maximum volume. Cheers!