To borrow from the title of B.B. King’s signature tune, the joys of his music and legacy isn’t gone. Relaying that message is the B.B. King Life Legacy Initiative, which is launching a number of new partnerships, retail merchandise and model ideas in honor of the blues and guitar legend who died in 2015.
Main the rollout is a bourbon and whiskey line from Washington state-based Heritage Distilling Firm: B.B. King One Whiskey. Additionally in improvement is a brand new album of collaborations with up to date artists that includes King’s music, a theatrical biopic, a documentary and a 24-hour B.B. King Blues Community.
“B.B. King’s music is for everyone,” Vassal Benford, chairman/CEO of The B.B. King Property, The B.B. King Music Firm and the Household Belief, tells Billboard. “He’s an iconic determine everywhere in the world.”
Benford, who started overseeing the $250 million property and belief three years in the past, is a Grammy-nominated producer whose discography contains hits resembling Jade’s “Don’t Stroll Away,” Deborah Cox’s “Who Do U Love” and Diplo’s “Be Proper There,” plus collaborations with Toni Braxton and U2, amongst others. He introduced the institution of the B.B. King Life Legacy Initiative, the delicate launch of the liquor line and the opposite forthcoming tasks in September at Resorts World Las Vegas throughout a celebration of what would have been King’s 98th birthday (Sept. 16).
Justin Stiefel, CEO and Co-Founding father of Heritage Distilling, Vassal Benford and Jennifer Stiefel, President and Co-Founding father of Heritage Distilling.
Vassal Benford
The imaginative and prescient behind the initiative started taking form two years in the past, Benford remembers, when he met with Bruce Resnikoff, president/CEO of Common Music Enterprises (UMe). “We have been making an attempt to create methods to maintain B.B. King’s legacy alive,” says Benford. “That was the primary factor. And naturally, that begins via the music.”
Additional stoking that imaginative and prescient was the then-unforeseen 2020 launch of “B.B. King Freestyle” by Lil Wayne that includes Drake from the previous’s No Ceilings 3 mixtape. “That confirmed us the hip-hop world loves B.B.,” provides Benford. “So we determined, let’s do an album with hip-hop artists.”
Among the many up to date artists concerned with the upcoming venture are Quavo, Jason Derulo and Swae Lee. The songs use samples of King’s authentic data resembling “The Thrill Is Gone” and “You’re Gonna Miss Me.” Guarantees Benford, “The album is phenomenal.”
The aforementioned King documentary will function a tune from Quavo that pays tribute to the late icon and Quavo’s late Migos mate, Takeoff. Already recorded, the observe could also be launched earlier than the documentary, which is presently in manufacturing beneath the supervision of Benford’s accomplice, movie producer Mark Canton (Den of Thieves, TV collection Energy). And with the author’s strike now ended, Benford and his crew are within the means of participating writers for the theatrical biopic. As well as, a serious business marketing campaign on behalf of B.B. King One Whiskey will kick off after the primary of the 12 months.
Within the wake of launching the B. B. King Life Legacy Initiative to protect the icon’s legacy and introduce him to a brand new technology of followers, Benford says, “The blues has been an underserved market. Richie Sambora, Joe Perry, Eric Clapton … I don’t suppose there’s anyone that I’ve ever talked to who doesn’t love B.B. King. Even the youthful guys. While you hearken to them on this new album, you possibly can simply hear the respect.”
