B.B. King to spend spring, summer on the road

B.B. King continues to eschew retirement in favor of the stage; the 80-year-old blues legend has lined up a busy spring and summer concert schedule that will keep his tour bus rolling for weeks to come.

King's in-progress US itinerary runs non-stop through the end of June, then picks back up in early August for another two-week stretch. Details are included below.

Though the octogenarian is keeping his tour schedule full, he is scaling things back a bit; earlier this year, King announced that 2006 would be the last year during which he would tour abroad, and that he would "[confine] the bulk of his still numerous live show appearances in future years to North America," according to a press release.

"I think the clock is ticking, yes," King said in a statement. "In fact, I know it is. Frank Sinatra sang about 'the September of [his] years'; I think I'm in the November of my years."

Despite slowing down his international roadwork, King has no plans to retire.

"I'm a diabetic, yes, but I'm pretty healthy," he said. "I'm 80 years old, yes, but I get along very well; I hardly remember I'm 80 unless I have to run up a hill or stairs. As long as people buy my records and come to my concerts, I don't see anything else I'd like to do."

King celebrated his 80th birthday last September, and marked the occasion with that month's release of "80," an album that features the singer/guitarist performing a dozen blues standards with some help from Eric Clapton, Elton John, Roger Daltrey, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Gloria Estefan, Glenn Frey, Mark Knopfler, Billy Gibbons, Bobby Bland and Daryl Hall.

In February, "80" won the Grammy award for Best Traditional Blues Album, bringing King's lifetime Grammy tally to 14 trophies.

Born on Sept. 16, 1925, King joined the ranks of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and has released more than 50 albums over the course of his recording career.

TOUR DATES
 tour dates and tickets
April 2006
14 - Elizabeth, IN - Caesars Indiana
15 - Evansville, IN - The Centre
17-19 - New York, NY - B.B. King's Blues Club
20 - Providence, RI - Providence PAC
22 - Atlantic City, NJ - House of Blues
24 - Fayetteville, NC - Crown Theatre
25 - Jacksonville, FL - Florida Theater
26 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
28 - Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues
29 - Valdosta, GA - Wild Adventures
30 - Boca Raton, FL - Mizner Park Amphitheatre

May 2006
1 - Naples, FL - Philharmonic Center for the Arts
3 - Birmingham, AL - Alabama Theater
5 - Memphis, TN - Tom Lee Park
6 - Tulsa, OK - Oklahoma Blues Festival
16 - Santa Barbara, CA - Arlington Theater
18 - Laughlin, NV - Harrah's
19 - Visalia, CA - Fox Theater
20 - San Diego, CA - Harrah's s
21 - Dana Point, CA - Doheny State Beach
25 - Cabazon, CA - Key Club @ Morongo
26 - Sonoma, CA - Field of Dreams Park
27 - Aptos, CA - Santa Cruz Blues Festival
29 - Albuquerque, NM - Sandia Casino
31 - Fort Worth, TX - Bass Concert Hall

June 2006
8 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
9 - Paducah, KY - Four Rivers Center
10 - Choctaw, MS - Silver Star Casino
19 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap
21 - Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park
22 - Greenville, SC - Peace Center
23 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
24 - Hampton, VA - Hampton Coliseum
28 - Montreal, Quebec - Place des Arts

August 2006
5 - Shelton, WA - Little Creek Casino
6 - Tulalip, WA - Tulalip Amphitheater
7 - Troutdale, OR - Edgefield Amphitheater
9 - Saratoga, CA - Mountain Winery
12 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up
13 - Denver, CO - Botanic Gardens
16 - Kettering, OH - Fraze Pavilion
18 - Interlochen, MI - Kresge Auditorium
19 - Highland Park, IL - Ravinia Festival
20 - Cleveland Heights, OH - Cain Park

 tour dates and tickets
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