BB King Was Afraid To Perform At Sing Sing Prison But Called It His Best Performance Ever

This clip is a portion of my feature-length documentary, Sing Sing Thanksgiving, recorded in 1972 at the prison in Ossining NY outside of New York City. We got permission to present the concert from the Warden and took full of it to create and then record this incredible event plus tell the lives of some of the inmates who helped make it happen. Regarding the Sing Sing prison performance, B.B. King said in an interview with NPR: “I’ve played a lot of prisons since but Sing Sing is the only one that I can remember the name of and the reason is because I was scared. I thought it was the end of my life.“ The experience was an emotionally charged one for King who was initially apprehensive about performing at the prison. However, the performance turned out to be a success, with the inmates showing great appreciation for the music. King’s fears were alleviated, and the event left a lasting impression on him. He considered it is absolutely best performance up until that time.