Riding with the King

chronology
Riding with the King
Studio album by BB King and Eric Clapton
Publication ; (s)	June 13, 2000
Label (s)	Duck , recapitulation
Format (s)	CD
Genre (s)	Blues , blues rock
Title (number)	12
running time	62:21
occupation	Eric Clapton, BB King (vocals, guitar); Doyle Bramhall II (guitar, background singer); Andy Fairweather Low , Jimmie Vaughan (guitar); Joe Sample (piano, Wurlitzer piano); Tim Carmon (organ); Nathan East (bass); Steve Gadd (drums); Susannah Melvoin , Wendy Melvoin (background singers)
production	Eric Clapton; Simon Climie
2000	Riding with the King

BB King and Eric Clapton

Riding with the King is a studio album by BB King and Eric Clapton released in 2000. It was the first joint album by the two musicians. It sold more than 4.6 million copies and received a Grammy Award in 2001 .

background

Despite many appearances together over the years, the two artists never went to a studio together. It wasn't until the recording of King's album Deuces Wild (1997) that a concrete plan emerged. Clapton produced the recording and also hired many of the musicians, such as guitarist Andy Fairweather Low . Most of the tracks come from BB King's oeuvre, better known songs like Three O'Clock Blues , but also less frequently played tracks like Help the Poor . In addition to King and Clapton, other guitarists play on every piece, including Jimmie Vaughan . There are also two blues standards on the album, Key to the Highway by Big Bill Broonzy and Worried Life Blues by Big Maceo Merriweather .

Track list

Riding With the King (Hiatt) - 4:23
Ten Long Years (Bihari, King) - 4:40
Key to the Highway (Broonzy, Segar) - 3:39
Marry You (Bramhall, Melvoin, Ross , Segar) - 4:59
Three O'Clock Blues ( Fulson , King, Taub) - 8:36
Help the Poor (Singleton) - 5:06
I Wanna Be (Bramhall, Sexton) - 4:45
Worried Life Blues (Hopkins, Merriweather) - 4:25
Days of Old (Bihari, King) - 3:00
When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer (King, King, Taub) - 7:09
Hold On, I'm Comin ' (Hayes, Porter) - 6:20
Come Rain or Come Shine (Arlen, Mercer) - 4:11

Reception and awards

Mojo commented: “... A program filled with serious blues, with which the masters wake sleeping dogs like Key to the Highway and Worried Life Blues - both extraordinarily well done. ... "(" A program stuffed with serious blues in which the principals reawaken even such sleeping dogs as 'Key To The Highway' and 'Worried Life Blues' - both done exceptionally [...] "). The Rolling Stone described the album as a "commercially wise meetings [...]" ( "A Commercially astute meeting [...]"). Jazz Times rated Riding with the King as a brilliant blues-drenched CD (“A brilliant blues-drenched CD”) and Allmusic critic William Ruhlmann wrote: “... The result is an effective but never overwhelming piece of work. ... "(" The result is an effective, if never really stunning, work. ").

The album was awarded a Grammy in 2001 in the category "Best Traditional Blues Album" and was included in the list of the Top 50 Albums of 2000 by Rolling Stone . The album reached number two in the German charts . The album took eighth place in Austria. It took third place in Switzerland and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the album reached number three on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Billboard Top Blues and Top Internet albums. The album received double platinum from the RIAA and sold more than three million copies.

Chart placements

Chart placements
Charts	Top ranking	Weeks
Chart placements
Germany (GfK)	2 (22 weeks)	22nd
Austria (Ö3)	3 (13 weeks)	13
Switzerland (IFPI)	3 (20 weeks)	20th
United States (Billboard)	3 (43 weeks)	43
United Kingdom (OCC)	15th (19 weeks)	19th

Annual charts
Charts (2000)	placement
Annual charts (2000)
Germany (GfK)	33
Austria (Ö3)	22nd
Switzerland (IFPI)	16
United States (Billboard)	52
United Kingdom (OCC)	65

Awards for music sales

Riding with the King has been awarded 10 × gold and 10 × platinum worldwide.

Country / Region	Award	Sales
Awards for music sales (country / region, Award, Sales)
Argentina (CAPIF)	gold	30,000
Australia (ARIA)	platinum	70,000
Brazil (PMB)	gold	100,000
Denmark (IFPI)	platinum	(50,000)
Germany (BVMI)	gold	(150,000)
Europe (IFPI)	2 × platinum	2,000,000
France (SNEP)	gold	(167,800)
Hong Kong (IFPI / HKRIA)	gold	10,000
Italy (FIMI)	platinum	(100,000)
Japan (RIAJ)	platinum	300,000
Canada (MC)	platinum	100,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)	platinum	15,000
Netherlands (NVPI)	gold	(50,000)
Austria (IFPI)	gold	(25,000)
Switzerland (IFPI)	gold	(25,000)
Spain (Promusicae)	gold	(50,000)
United States (RIAA)	2 × platinum	2,000,000
United Kingdom (BPI)	gold	(100,000)
All in all	10 × gold 10 × platinum	4,625,000