B.B. “Riley” King tells the tale of his childhood and how he used music to pull him out of the poverty and oppression of his youth. It came as a shock to me that a bio of this great blues musician had never been filmed before now. B.B. King is 90-years-old and has led quite a life. A life that lends itself to be told on film.
Narrated by the distinctive voice of Morgan Freeman, Life of Riley features articles from the vaults and archives of the BB King Museum in Mississippi. The collection is so valuable and vast that it took a couple of visits to it to get all that was relevant for the film. It also features appearances by Bruce Willis, Bono, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Bill Cosby, and loads of others who flesh out the story by sharing their knowledge of the man.
Shows that the man is completely dedicated to his music. Up until very recently he would play 300-odd shows a year. There is an unexpected emotional level to the story as it shows how the man and musician refused to allow the racism he faced neither get him down nor drown out his music.
Special Features: Extended Interviews, Live performances from the Royal Albert Hall
