His Highness

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Aug. 6, 2004 | 8:53 a.m.

That changed in May, when the 78-year-old icon received the prestigious Polar Music Prize from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

"I've met a lot of great people, including the pope and presidents," King said in a phone interview from a Saratoga, Calif., hotel room while on tour this week. "I've even met the queen of England. But I had never met a king before. And boy was I nervous.

"I got to meet the king of queen of Sweden; they presented the award. And they were so nice to me."

Much as he savors such experiences, however, King said he relishes any chance to return to his longtime home of nearly 30 years, right here in Southern Nevada.

"When I get back here I feel like doing what I've seen the pope do. I want to kiss the ground," said King, who estimates he has performed in 90 countries during his storied 55-year career.

"As long as I'm within the continental United States, if I have three or four days off I'll go home. I live over in Spanish Oaks and I love it."

King, who has mainly played locally at the Stardust in recent years, brings his "B.B. King Blues Festival" to UNLV's Cox Pavilion at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Joining King and his famous guitar, Lucille, on the bill are piano great Dr. John, vocalist Shemekia Copeland, guitarist Elvin Bishop and J. Geils Band members J. Geils and Magic Dick.

"It's a strong show, very good," King said.

Traffic snares aside, King said the only downside to returning home is the dearth of blues music on the radio in Southern Nevada. But that's not an uncommon problem for King. He encounters the same conditions across the country.

"The station up there at UNLV (KUNV 91.5-FM) plays blues, but only sometimes," King said. "And it doesn't happen in any other city in the U.S., not even in Memphis, Tenn., where I started, or in my hometown of Indianola, Miss."

King offered one solution toward improving Southern Nevada's blues scene: the addition of a B.B. King Blues Club.

Currently the chain of venue/restaurants boasts six locations: New York City; Universal City, Calif.; Memphis; Nashville, Tenn.; and two in Foxwood, Conn.

King said his partners have discussed bringing the venture to Las Vegas.

"We've thought a lot about Las Vegas, but the people with the big money are still surveying," he said. "I have a few pennies -- they're just using my name -- but they're the ones with the big money, and it's their decision."

King also expressed hope that last year's Martin Scorsese-produced PBS series, "The Blues," will have a lasting impact, calling the program the "best thing that ever happened to blues since I've been alive."

"I can never thank Mr. Scorsese enough, never," King said. "I don't know why he did it, but I'm so grateful to him for doing it. It was needed to bring blues to people's attention, and I think it did that."

King, who comes across as humble and grandfatherly on the phone, said he still has not seen the episode of "The Blues" in which he was featured.

He said he also hasn't read Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" issue from last year, in which the magazine tapped King No. 3, behind only Jimi Hendrix and Duane Allman.

With great modesty, the man who has inspired generations of guitar heroes said he wouldn't have ranked himself that high.

"Of course it feels good, but I think they made a mistake," King said with a chuckle. "Wherever they put me, I'm thankful to 'em for thinking of me. But if I had been the editor, I wouldn't have put me as the third best. I think I would maybe be in the Top 20, maybe.

"But there are so many great guitarists, some that I don't even know. I'm still learning about them."

Less than two months from his 79th birthday, King is also still learning how to cut down on his tour schedule.

Once regularly on the road for around 250 dates every year, King still gets out for close to 200 gigs a year. He plays while seated much of the time, but he says he can't conceive of calling it quits.

"To be a 78-year-old guy, hoping to be 79 on September the 16th, I feel pretty good," King said. "It's still something I love, something I've been doing since 1949. What else is there? I don't know anything else.

"And it's my fun. Now, when I go to a different place, it's like visiting a friend."