P5210103
B.B. King, North Shore Music Theatre 5/21/2005 On May 21, B.B. played at North Shore Music Theatre. We managed to get front row tickets because we were members of the theater. The theater is round and the stage rotates, so we didn't always have a front view of B.B., but we still had a great view of the entire band and their very entertaining performance. We all really enjoyed the show. When the opening notes of "Please Accept My Love" started up, I leaned over to Frank and said "I remember when he did this song last time, you really sang along!" Frank turned and laughed, and Craig jokingly looked at me like I was being an instigator. As soon as B started singing "I don't even know your name, but I love you just the same" Frank was belting it out right along with him. And Frank knows all of the little intricacies, all of the little starts and stops, all of the interruptions. It was great. B.B. was facing the other way for pretty much the entire song, otherwise we have no doubt that he would have heard Frank singing along. The stage manager told us that B.B. was ill with a cold, so it was doubtful whether he would feel well enough to receive visitors after the show. We knew that Frank would be extremely disappointed if he didn't at least get a chance to say hello, so we kept our fingers crossed. After the show, it was pouring rain. We were told that we would be able to get on the bus, so we walked outside and boarded the bus. We were very grateful that despite not feeling well, B.B. was still being very generous with his time. Our friend Kevin worked for the North Shore Music Theatre at the time, and he was at the show as well. He knew all about our relationship with Frank, but had never met him. So we introduced them, and Kevin was able to accompany us onto the bus. The interior of the bus was very plush and comfortable. B.B. was seated at the back on a leather couch. He had a table with his laptop set up in front of him, and there was a stereo and X-Box behind him. Frank sat down on a couch on the left, perpendicular to where B.B. was sitting. We tried to convince him to scoot over next to B., but B. said to let the pretty lady sit next to him, so I said thank you and sat. Craig sat on the other side of Frank, and Kevin sat at the little booth opposite B. B kept saying "Big Brown, how's Big Brown? You're looking a lot better than you did the last time that I saw you." Frank asked if B. heard him singing and B. said that he couldn't hear anything from onstage. It was very cool because it was just the four of us and B. It was very hot on the bus, and B. apologized saying he didn't want to melt the lady, but he wouldn't apologize to the men. He called to someone up at the front of the bus and asked him to turn the thermostat down to 75. We are sure this was due to the fact that it was a rainy spring night and he was already sick with a cold, He has two drivers for each bus. He keeps the people closest to him on this bus, and there are two drivers for each so that they can go any time. But he looked at Frank fondly and said "But he used to do it all. That's why I always take care of him and give him a present." Craig said that Frank really treasures those memories with B. B said that they had a lot of history together and have been friends for a long time. "But they weren't only good times. They didn't always treat us nicely." And he suddenly looked serious. I showed him the picture of the old bus. B. glanced at it very quickly, recognized it, and said "That's it. That's his bus." He was obviously familiar with the picture. Craig pointed to the drivers and said "And Frank said one of those is him." B. looked again quickly at the photo and confirmed it. B. said that he doesn't fly much any more because it is just too much of a hassle, having to take off your shoes, jacket, and cap, plus checking all the equipment etc. He said they strip you down until you're wearing nothing but underwear. At this point a couple of other people had gotten on the bus. Kevin offered to give his seat to one of the guys who had just arrived, but BB said "no, first come first served." I asked if we could get a picture. I snuggled up next to B and he linked arms with me. Kevin took a pic of me with B but the flash was off. I fixed it and one of the other guys who had just gotten on offered to take it. We got all of us in the picture, with Kevin sitting on the floor in front. I felt like I was practically sitting on B (it was very crowded to get us all in the picture) but Craig said that he didn't think that B minded. B. mentioned that he wished we could sit and chat longer, but he needed to see other people. He joked that the bus was too cramped and maybe some day when he made some money, he'd be able to get one that had room for everyone. After the picture we were gathering our things to go. I got the letter and gave it to B.B. saying "I wrote this letter to you explaining Frank's situation these days, so you can read it if you want to…" and he said he would. He then said "While you're here Frank…" and he got a little sony digital camera out and said he wanted to take a picture of Frank. Craig and I tried to lean out of the way, but B said "it would be better with the pretty lady in it." So Craig and I leaned in close to Frank and B took the picture. He was pleased with how it came out and showed it to us. Wow, B.B. King took a picture of us!! Frank mentioned that we were his best friends next to B. B said that was nice and it was good to have friends, and at that point Craig saw him take the letter, which had been sitting on the couch next to him, and put it on his table next to his computer. As we got Frank up and ready to go, B.B. thanked us for bringing Frank. He looked at me seriously and said to take care of him. I thanked him and he said it was a pleasure. It took a while to get Frank up to the front of the bus,. When we got to the front of the bus, the driver helped us to get Frank down the stairs.. Another arm appeared from outside, guiding Frank down. It turned out to be Evan Goodrow, the opening act. Craig thanked him, shook his hand, and told him he did a great set. This would be the last time that the two old friends and colleagues would see one another. Frank grew ill in the summer of 2005. He told us that he wanted to be buried in Mobile next to his mother, but he was worried that it wouldn't happen. We promised him that we would see to it that he was buried with his mother one way or another. It was as if that thought gave him peace, and he passed away soon afterwards.
BBKingNSMTBusFrankKevin
with BB King on his bus North Shore Music Theatre Beverly, MA 5/21/2005 Frank, Craig, Steph, B.B. King, Kevin autographed 1/29/2006 Boston