MCA's double-disc set Anthology is a bit of a blessing, actually, a welcome entry to B.B. King's extensive catalog, since the last half of his career has not been anthologized often (it was most notably on the box set The King of Blues). Once King's career entered the '70s, he never lost his way, but his recordings became uneven. The situation didn't improve in the '80s or '90s, either -- he was always reliable, but the records could either be too slick or uninspired or just solid journeyman efforts. Anthology does a terrific job of consolidating the years between 1963 and 1998, his time at ABC and MCA, respectively. Smartly, the compilers lean heavily on the '60s and early-'70s material, with only a handful of tracks from 1980-1998. There are certainly some terrific tracks missing, but by concentrating on his great recordings of the mid-'60s, plus the work that just followed it, they wind up with not just a very enjoyable compilation, but one that's a testament to B.B.'s talents as a guitarist, vocalist, stylist, and showman. This, in conjunction with a compilation of early Flair recordings and Live at the Regal, provide a better history of the great bluesman's career than his box set. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
The Memphis Horns (Trumpet), Hugh McCracken (Guitar (Rhythm)), Jesse Ed Davis (Guitar), Russ Kunkel (Drums), G. Hanekroot (Photography), Patrick Williams (Trumpet), James Bolden (Trumpet), Joshie Armstead (Vocals (Background)), Jewell L. Grant (Sax (Alto)), Sid Feller (Conductor), Joseph Burton (Trombone), B.B. King (Vocals), Cornell Dupree (Guitar), Leon Russell (Piano), Clydie King (Choir, Chorus), Jim Price (Trombone), Lloyd Glenn (Piano), Johnny Pate (Producer), Jason Pastori (Photo Research), Floyd Turnham (Sax (Baritone)), Dennis Kleiman (Photography), Lee Gatling (Saxophone), Sid Feller (Musical Director), Calep Emphrey (Drums), Shelly Yakus (Remixing), B.B. King (Guitar), David Redfern (Photography), Merry Clayton (Choir, Chorus), David "Fathead" Newman (Sax (Tenor)), Hobart Dotson (Trumpet), Earl Turbinton (Saxophone), Larry Washington (Conga), Carole King (Piano (Electric)), Benny Powell (Trombone), Luther Waters (Vocals (Background)), Klaus Voormann (Bass), Jimmie Haskell (Conductor), Al Aarons (Trumpet), Wilbert Freeman (Bass), Johnny Jones (Guitar), Garnett Brown (Trombone), Milton Hopkins (Guitar), Ralph Hamilton (Bass), Earl Young (Drums), Jim Cook (Synthesizer), David Sanborn (Saxophone), Sherlie Matthews (Choir, Chorus), Bobby Forte (Sax (Tenor)), Ronnie Baker (Bass), Steve Madaio (Trumpet), Harold Potier (Drums), Esmond Edwards (Producer), Dean Parks (Guitar (Rhythm)), Ernie Royal (Trumpet), Joe Sample (Producer), Erick Labson (Digital Remastering), Bobby Forte (Saxophone), Henry Boozier (Trumpet), Ray Parker, Jr. (Guitar), Bryan Garofalo (Bass), Charles Bowles (Organ), Beth Stempel (Production Coordination), Maxwell Davis (Arranger), Albert Collins (Vocals), Vernon Slater (Sax (Tenor)), Duke Jethro (Organ), Paulinho Da Costa (Percussion), Hubert Barney (Sax (Baritone)), Cesar Vera (Photography), John Starks (Drums), Ira Newborn (Producer), Dave Crawford (Producer), Brother Gene Dinwiddie (Saxophone), Ron Kersey (Keyboards), Jimmie Haskell (String Arrangements), Sid Feller (Producer), John Landis (Producer), Albert Collins (Guitar), Wilton Felder (Producer), Dean Parks (Guitar), Bill Szymczyk (Producer), Carl Adams (Trumpet), Hank Crawford (Sax (Alto)), Rudy Aikels (Bass), Irving Ashby (Guitar), Tasha Thomas (Vocals (Background)), Andrew Love (Horn), Ron Jacobs (Remixing), Dennis Walker (Producer), David Spinozza (Guitar), Neil Stubenhaus (Bass), Wilbur Bascomb, Jr. (Bass), William Green (Sax (Alto)), Carl Hall (Vocals (Background)), Andy McKaie (Compilation), Julia Tillman (Vocals (Background)), Lawrence Burdine (Sax (Alto)), Joe Zagarino (Producer), Roland Batista (Guitar (Rhythm)), David Corio (Photography), James Bolden (Bandleader), Paul Harris (Piano), Joe Walsh (Guitar), Steve Watson (Guitar), Tony Coleman (Percussion), Waymon Reed (Trumpet), Stevie Wonder (Keyboards), Norman Harris (Guitar), Val Patillo (Bass), Louis Satterfield (Bass), Mike Doster (Bass), Leo Lauchie (Bass), Vartan (Art Direction), Kevin Westenberg (Photography), Paul Harris (Organ), Baron Wolman (Photography), Oren Waters (Vocals (Background)), Stewart Levine (Producer), Trevor Lawrence (Saxophone), Jesse Sailes (Drums), Dave Crawford (Keyboards), Jerome Richardson (Sax (Baritone)), Robert Anderson (Piano), Dick Waterman (Photography), The Edge (Guitar), Roland Chambers (Guitar), Sid Feller (Arranger), Johnny Board (Sax (Tenor)), Rebecca Evans Russell (Vocals (Background)), Steve Levine (Producer), Randy Kerber (Synthesizer Bass), Charles Mann (Vocals (Background)), Maxwell Davis (Sax (Tenor)), John Browning (Trumpet), U2 (Vocals (Background)), Maxine Willard Waters (Vocals (Background)), Ira Newborn (Arranger), John Hobbs (Synthesizer), Sonny Freeman (Drums), Charles Fendley (Trombone), John Hobbs (Piano), Joe Walsh (Guitar (Rhythm)), Howard Johnson (Saxophone), Stanley Abernathy (Trumpet), Herb Lovelle (Drums), Ron Levy (Piano), Jimmy Iovine (Producer), Johnny Pate (Conductor), Dave Crawford (Conductor), Ringo Starr (Drums), John Bernard (Keyboards), Helen Duncan (Vocals (Background)), Bernard "Pretty" Purdie (Drums), Andrea Laubach (Photography), Gary Wright (Piano), Jim Price (Horn Arrangements), Gary Grant (Trumpet), Victor Feldman (Bass), Gerald Jemmott (Bass), Snooky Young (Trumpet), Mac Rebennack (Guitar), Phyllis Duncan (Vocals (Background)), Doctor Ragavoy (Piano), Louis Villery (Bass), Charles Mann (Keyboards), Adam Clayton (Bass), Quitman Dennis (Saxophone), Lou Zito (Producer), Eli Tartarsky (Guitar), Frank Owens (Piano), The Memphis Horns (Saxophone), The Edge (Keyboards), Ed Michel (Producer), Hank Crawford (Horn Arrangements), Wayne Jackson (Horn), Bobby Keys (Saxophone), Charles Miller (Trumpet), Kim Hutchcroft (Sax (Baritone)), Venetta Fields (Choir, Chorus), Red Holloway (Sax (Tenor)), Ed Greene (Drums), James Gadson (Drums), Joe Sample (Keyboards), Ronnie Cuber (Sax (Baritone)), Tom "Bones" Malone (Trombone), Jim Price (Trumpet), Wilton Felder (Sax (Tenor)), Hugh McCracken (Guitar), Maxwell Davis (Conductor), Robert Popwell (Bass), Maxwell Davis (Organ), Jim Keltner (Drums), Jim Price (Piano (Electric)), Charles Bowles (Piano), James Toney (Organ), Jim Gordon (Drums), Bob Morin (Drums), Edward Rowe (Trumpet), Johnny Pate (Arranger), Leon Russell (Conductor), Dave Crawford (Arranger), Mark Humphrey (Liner Notes), Andy McKaie (Producer), Leon Warren (Guitar (Rhythm)), Bob Thiele (Producer), David "Leather Sax" Allen, Jr. (Bass), Larry Williams (Saxophone), Jack Redmond (Trombone), Dave Crawford (Vocals (Background)), Pluma Davis (Trombone), Bobby "Blue" Bland (Vocals), Oscar Brashear (Trumpet)
