Between 1992 and 2003, Italian opera master Luciano Pavarotti held ten “Pavarotti And Friends” benefit concerts, teaming with music legends ranging from Sting, Brian May, Bono, Elton John to raise millions of dollars for global humanitarian causes. 

The 1999 edition raised $1 million for War Child, programs to aid young refugees in Kosovo and Guatemala. And among the stars to grace the stage that year was none other than the King of The Blues, BB King. 
A seated King joined Pavarotti on stage, backed by an orchestra to deliver a one-of-a-kind rendition of King’s classic, “The Thrill Is Gone.”  The pair (or perhaps trio, if one were to consider King’s famous Lucille Gibson guitar a ‘voice’) of legends deliver nearly five minutes of sheer brilliance.  King and Lucille sing the trademark song’s guitar and lyric parts, punctuated by perfectly placed and stunningly delivered operatic lines that, by song’s end, have Pavarotti beaming with joy.

Thanks to Andranik Azizbekyan for the footage!

The Jam Buzz guest author for this week is Ross Mickel. Ross, aka ‘The Bootlegger’ is the producer and host of Bootleggers Beware, a weekly live music radio show airing from 10AM-1PM EST on The Radiator, 105.9FM in Burlington, VT, and a live music enthusiast, curating a collection of over 2500 recordings. Check out his website and on Facebook.