Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Donate
Stay Connected

LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network.

Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen
Donate
Podcasts The Frame
Robert Cray remembers B.B. King — and how he upstaged Eric Clapton
solid pale red banner
()
The Frame Tile
May 15, 2015
Listen • 4:49
Robert Cray remembers B.B. King — and how he upstaged Eric Clapton
B.B. King has passed away at 89 years old. Robert Cray, who played with him, explains what he did to make Eric Clapton ask, "What are we going to do now, Robert?"
Musician B.B. King (R) hugs musician Robert Cray following his performance at the Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007 held at Toyota Park on July 28, 2007 in Bridgeview, Illinois.
Musician B.B. King (R) hugs musician Robert Cray following his performance at the Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007 held at Toyota Park on July 28, 2007 in Bridgeview, Illinois.
(
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
)
Photo of Robert Cray circa 1980
Photo of Robert Cray circa 1980
(
David Corio/Getty Images
)
Blues legend B.B. King performs with an all-star cast at a White House event titled In Performance at the White House: Red, White and Blues Feb. 21, 2012 in Washington, DC.
Blues legend B.B. King performs with an all-star cast at a White House event titled In Performance at the White House: Red, White and Blues Feb. 21, 2012 in Washington, DC.
(
Win McNamee/Getty Images
)
In this handout from the White House, President Barack Obama joins B.B. King singing "Sweet Home Chicago" during the "In Performance at the White House: Red, White and Blues" concert in the East Room on Feb. 21, 2012 in Washington, D.C.
In this handout from the White House, President Barack Obama joins B.B. King singing "Sweet Home Chicago" during the "In Performance at the White House: Red, White and Blues" concert in the East Room on Feb. 21, 2012 in Washington, D.C.
(
The White House/Getty Images
)
Riley 'B.B.' King (L), smiles while President George W. Bush presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony for 2006 recipients on Dec. 15, 2006 in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C.
Riley 'B.B.' King (L), smiles while President George W. Bush presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony for 2006 recipients on Dec. 15, 2006 in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C.
(
Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images
)
Legendary blues singer, songwriter and guitarist B.B. King.
Legendary blues singer, songwriter and guitarist B.B. King.
(
Evening Standard/Getty Images
)
Blues musician B.B. King poses with his Grammy Awards at the 43rd Grammy Awards in Los Angeles Feb. 21, 2001.
Blues musician B.B. King poses with his Grammy Awards at the 43rd Grammy Awards in Los Angeles Feb. 21, 2001.
(
Vince Bucci/AFP/Getty Images
)
B.B. King plays a concert for his 80th birthday on July 12, 2005 in Rome, Italy.
B.B. King plays a concert for his 80th birthday on July 12, 2005 in Rome, Italy.
(
Franco Origlia/Getty Images
)
President Bill Clinton plays the sax with B.B. King (right) and Dave Boruff (center) at "A Family Celebration 2001" at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills on April 1, 2001.
President Bill Clinton plays the sax with B.B. King (right) and Dave Boruff (center) at "A Family Celebration 2001" at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills on April 1, 2001.
(
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
)
B.B. King performs Feb. 17, 2002 at the House of Blues in Las Vegas.
B.B. King performs Feb. 17, 2002 at the House of Blues in Las Vegas.
(
Scott Harrison/Getty Images
)
B.B. King performs on stage during the 2013 Crossroads Guitar Festival at Madison Square Garden on April 12, 2013 in New York City.
B.B. King performs on stage during the 2013 Crossroads Guitar Festival at Madison Square Garden on April 12, 2013 in New York City.
(
Larry Busacca/Getty Images
)

B.B. King has passed away at 89 years old. Robert Cray, who played with him, explains what he did to make Eric Clapton ask, "What are we going to do now, Robert?"

B.B. King has passed away at 89 years old, with his website reporting that he died in his sleep late Thursday night at his Las Vegas home. King quietly leaves the building after winning 15 Grammys, being inducted in both the rock and blues halls of fame, and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2006.

Singer and guitarist Robert Cray was inspired by King and had the chance to play with him several times. They first met at a show in Santa Rosa.

"We had gone out and done our set, and B.B. hadn't arrived yet, and I was wondering when they were going to show up."

He found out that King and his band always ran late — and when Cray got off stage, he wasn't allowed into his own dressing room, as King had commandeered it. Still, Cray met King right before he went on stage.

BB King and Robert Cray: Playin' With My Friends video, live

Later, they played together on the 1993 song "Playin' With My Friends," which Cray says meant a lot to him. He worked with producer Dennis Walker, writing the song for King. Cray says it was great for him because he not only got to play on it himself, but also brought on board two former high school bandmates.

"We all three grew up wanting to be blues musicians, and we all three got to be on a B.B. King record, and it was like a dream come true."

Cray found out about King's death on Friday morning via text message.

"I just didn't want any more conversation about it. I wanted to absorb the news. And I had been one of the fortunate ones to go visit B.B. about two months ago at his house. And when I saw him, he was looking pretty well. He was looking a little thin, but he didn't look like he was going to go as soon as he did. And so I had this great vision of B.B. in my head, who was still looking good, and I wanted to keep that in my mind."

King was part of lots of great opportunities for Cray, he says, including a moment at the Crossroads Festival. His band was backing up King, and he was supposed to do part of one of King's songs and then bring Eric Clapton and Jimmie Vaughan on stage.

"I got going in one of B.B.'s tunes, and I sang the whole song when I wasn't supposed to! And I remember that, because eventually I got to the end of the song, and B.B. was just smiles watching me perform his tune, and was cheering me on and everything like that, but it was a mess-up on my part."

Clapton walked on and asked, "What are we going to do now, Robert?"

BB King, Robert Cray, Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughan play the Thrill Is Gone at Crossroads

King says that he'll always remember King as the ambassador of blues music to the world.

"As far as blues music, nobody carried the torch higher than B.B. King. The whole world knows about B.B. King, and the rest of us out here have to go and respect that. He laid the groundwork for all of us out here."