Lucille Talks Back (CD - 1975)

Personnel: B.B. King (vocals, guitar, piano); Milton Hopkins, Jess Daniels (guitar); Brooker Walker, Bobby Forte (saxophone); Joseph Burton (trombone); Edward Rowe (horns); James Toney (organ); Ron Levy (keyboards, synthesizer); John Starks (drums); Marcus Barnett (percussion).

Arranger: B.B. King.

MCA Special Products' Lucille Talks Back is a budget-line compilation that culls ten highlights from B.B. King's recordings for ABC and MCA in the '70s. Many fans are divided in their opinions of this era, since the production and performances were quite slick, but each album has its moments. Some of those moments are on this collection, which seems to have been chosen at random. Those moments may be enough for the budget-minded listener who only wants a sampler of this era, but most collectors and listeners will find either the original albums or more comprehensive compilations preferable to Lucille Talks Back. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

In the tradition of The Skipper and Gilligan and the Lone Ranger and Trigger, B.B. King never performs without his faithful sidekick, his guitar Lucille. And as with most close working relationships, they developed a simpatico over the years to the point where they became totally inseparable. B.B. has just such a relationship with Lucille. He lets her finish his thoughts, as in his trademark call and response on "Everybody Lies A Little" and "No Money, No Luck."

Sometimes he lets her do the talking for him, as on the titular instrumental. On LUCILLE TALKS BACK, they also get a little funky, as was the style back then (listen to the wah-wah guitar on "Breaking Up Somebody's Home" and the syncopated bass line on "I Know The Price.") They must be doing something right, as the audience's reaction on the live track "Gambler's Blues" bears out. minimize