Article: B. B. King sings blues over young blacks' views of music

Legendary blues guitarist B. B. King lamented Wednesday that more young whites are listening to and playing the blues than young blacks.

In a speech at the National Press Club, King said he believed "a lot of the black kids" feel it is "sort of a put-down to be a part of blues music and part of that history" of music that came out of slavery and poverty in the Deep South.

Worldwide, blues is more popular than ever, but "we still haven't got to the place that I'd like to be," said King, citing the decline of interest among young blacks.

"A lot of the players, especially those white players, will say I play the blues and a lot of the black players say I'm a musician," King said. He said ...

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