BB King: Duets album with rock legends

B.B. King's 80th birthday week commences with Tuesday's (September 13th) release of B.B. King & Friends - 80. The duets album features collaborations with the Who's Roger Daltrey, the Eagles' Glenn Frey, former Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, Daryl Hall, Elton John, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Gloria Estefan, and longtime friend and former valet Bobby "Blue" Bland. King told us that he wishes there was time for more such teamings:
[ click here to listen if you have a Backstage Pass] "I wish I could play with everybody that would like to play with me, 'cause I enjoy working with people and it's educational to me. Most all of them I sit down and we work together, most all of them. I think there's only one or two that I did not."

The guitarist turns 80 on Friday (September 16th). On that same day, he'll publish a book called Treasures that looks at his life and some of the mementos he's collected along the way.

He resumes touring on September 22nd with a B.B. King Blues Festival 2005 show in De Kalb, Illinois.