Joe Bonamassa Drops Five New Songs Starring Slash, Marcus King, Shemekia Copeland & More On B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100

Watch CBS Mornings’ Special Segment Featuring Bonamassa and Other Artists’ Collaborative Journey to Tribute the King of the Blues

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, December 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Joe Bonamassa returns today with Vol. IV of B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100, unveiling five new songs from the landmark centennial tribute starring Slash, Shemekia Copeland, Myles Kennedy, Marcus King, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Jade MacRae, Robben Ford, & Chris Cain. The latest volume continues to widen the project’s reach, pairing fresh arrangements with powerful performances from artists across blues, rock, and soul. The full 32-track album arrives February 6th; Pre-Order available now for Triple LP, Double CD, and Digital versions via Bonamassa’s KTBA Records label. Stream the latest five tracks HERE.

CBS Mornings aired a special feature highlighting both the scope of the album and Bonamassa’s long personal connection to B.B. King. The segment pairs a wide look at Joe’s career with archival footage from his childhood opening slot for King and recent performances that trace how those early encounters shaped the reverence driving the passion behind B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100. WATCH the CBS Mornings feature now.

Producers Bonamassa and Josh Smith were drawn to the standout track “When Love Comes to Town” from the beginning. “We knew early on we wanted to include this U2 song in an effort to span the breadth of B.B.’s entire career,” Smith explains. The arrangement came into focus once they decided that Shemekia Copeland would take on King’s vocal lines. “She absolutely crushed it,” he said. Smith adds that inviting Myles Kennedy to sing the Bono parts and bringing Slash in on guitar was Joe’s idea, and the result became one of the project’s defining collaborations. “It turned into such a standout,” he exclaimed, praising the chemistry across all three guests and offering a “shoutout to Alan Hertz for the amazing mix.”

“Don’t Answer The Door,” featuring Marcus King, carries a deep connection for Smith. “This song was tracked already, thinking about Marcus King,” he says. Years earlier, King had sung the tune unprompted during a jam session with Smith and Kirk Fletcher, a moment that stuck with him. The team recorded the Blues Is King arrangement with that memory in mind, and Smith says King delivered in every way. “He absolutely slayed it. BB’s vocal is so incredible on the original and Marcus really sang the hell out of it and of course played amazing,” he says. “Just a massive standout.”

“Ain’t Nobody Home,” with Jade MacRae and Robben Ford, highlights Smith’s vision for pairing complementary stylists on material he has always loved. “This has always been a favorite track of mine,” he says, noting that the team wanted a song where a featured singer and a featured guitarist could each bring something distinct. “We couldn’t have done any better than Jade and Robben,” Smith adds. He calls MacRae “a tremendous singer and artist” whose performance anchors the track, and says it is an honor to have Ford involved. “He is one of both Joe's and I’s all-time favorite players, and he played “amazing.”

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram brings his fire to “Paying The Cost To Be The Boss,” a song that helped set the tone for the entire project. “This was the first song we tracked, the first song we pitched and the first artist to deliver,” Smith recalls. He sensed immediately that the tune would resonate with Kingfish, and that instinct proved right. “He said it was one of his favorites. Kismet,” Smith says. For him, Kingfish represents a vital piece of the blues future. “Christone is one of the most important artists in the blues today,” he adds. “He absolutely killed this track.”

This month’s collection closes with “You Upset Me Baby” featuring Chris Cain, an artist both Smith and Bonamassa deeply admire. “Joe and I both felt it was important to have Chris Cain be a part of this project,” Smith says. “We knew how much Chris reveres B.B.” Cain delivered a performance that reflects that admiration, combining soulful singing with guitar work that Smith describes as “amazing.”

With Vol. IV, the album’s expanding roster now includes more than thirty guest appearances across the first four installments, featuring artists such as Buddy Guy, Gary Clark Jr., Keb’ Mo’, Warren Haynes, Jimmie Vaughan, Michael McDonald, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Larkin Poe, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Pat Monahan, and Aloe Blacc.

The idea for Blues Summit 100 took shape when Bonamassa realized that no major centennial tribute had been announced for King’s 100th birthday. With full support from the Estate of B.B. King and The B.B. King Music Company, he and Smith set out to create a wide-ranging celebration of King’s legacy with an intergenerational cast of musicians. Each artist was encouraged to record a song that held specific meaning for them, creating a portrait of King’s influence that connects past and present. Bonamassa has described the project as a mission rooted in deep respect for King’s legacy. “When B.B. was alive and active, he was the blues. You only get one shot to do this correctly.”

B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100 will be released digitally, as a double CD, and as a triple LP vinyl (180 gram) set. New tracks will continue to arrive monthly through February 2026.

Bonamassa continues an active global touring schedule. His 2026 U.S. Spring Tour brings him to theaters and arenas nationwide before he launches a major European run anchored by two nights at London’s Royal Albert Hall. His 2026 U.S. Summer Tour, newly announced, spans amphitheaters across the country with select dates featuring Gov’t Mule, JJ Grey & Mofro, and rising blues artist D. K. Harrell. Tour dates and ticket information are available at www.jbonamassa.com/tour-dates.

B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100 - Full Tracklist

Disc 1:
1. Paying The Cost To Be The Boss feat. Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
2. Don’t Answer The Door feat. Marcus King
3. To Know You Is To Love You feat. Michael McDonald, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks
4. Let The Good Times Roll feat. Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Noah Hunt
5. Sweet Little Angel feat. Buddy Guy
6. When It All Comes Down (I’ll Still Be Around) feat. Larry McCray
7. When Love Comes To Town feat. Slash, Shemekia Copeland & Myles Kennedy
8. The Thrill Is Gone feat. Chaka Khan & Eric Clapton
9. Watch Yourself feat. Jimmie Vaughan
10. Why I Sing The Blues feat. Bobby Rush
11. Sweet Sixteen feat. Jimmy Hall & Larry Carlton
12. Don’t You Want A Man Like Me feat. Larkin Poe
13. I’ll Survive feat. Keb’ Mo’
14. Heartbreaker feat. Trombone Shorty & Eric Gales
15. There Must Be A Better World Somewhere feat. George Benson
16. Chains And Things feat. Gary Clark Jr.

Disc 2:
1. How Blue Can You Get feat. Warren Haynes
2. You Upset Me Baby feat. Chris Cain
3. Ghetto Woman feat. Ivan Neville
4. Night Life feat. Paul Rodgers
5. Ain’t Nobody Home feat. Jade MacRae & Robben Ford
6. Bad Case Of Love feat. Joanne Shaw Taylor
7. Never Make A Move Too Soon feat. Dion
8. Three O’Clock Blues feat. Marc Broussard
9. Think It Over feat. Train & Chris Buck
10. It’s My Own Fault feat. Kim Wilson
11. Every Day I Have The Blues feat. D.K. Harrell
12. Please Accept My Love feat. John Nemeth
13. So Excited feat. Aloe Blacc
14. When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer feat. Dannielle De Andrea
15. Playin’ With My Friends
16. Better Not Look Down feat. Kirk Fletcher

JOE BONAMASSA TOUR SCHEDULE

U.S. SUMMER TOUR 2026 (NEWLY ANNOUNCED)
June 26 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts w/ special guest JJ Grey & Mofro & D.K. Harrell
June 27 – Atlantic City, NJ – Ocean Casino Resort
June 28 – Newark, NJ – New Jersey Performing Arts Center
July 29 – Vienna, VA – Wolf Trap w/ Gov't Mule*
July 31 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater w/ Gov't Mule
August 1 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion w/ Gov't Mule
August 3 – Hyannis, MA – Cape Cod Melody Tent
August 5 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater w/ special guest JJ Grey & Mofro
August 7 – Selbyville, DE – Freeman Arts Pavilion*
August 8 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion w/ Gov't Mule
August 9 – Youngstown, OH – The Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre w/ Gov't Mule
August 12 – Highland Park, IL – Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL*
August 14 – Interlochen, MI – Kresge Auditorium*
August 15 – Welch, MN – Treasure Island Resort & Casino w/ Gov't Mule
August 16 – Lincoln, NE – Pinewood Bowl Theater w/ Gov't Mule
August 19 – Cheyenne, WY – Cheyenne Civic Center
August 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – Eccles Theater
August 23 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
*On sale in early 2026

U.S. SPRING TOUR 2026
February 21 – South Bend, IN – The Morris Performing Arts Center
February 23 – Cedar Rapids, IA – Paramount Theatre
February 25 – Madison, WI – Overture Center for the Arts
February 27 – Peoria, IL – Prairie Home Alliance Theater
February 28 – Cincinnati, OH – Taft Theatre
March 2 – Wilkes-Barre, PA – F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts
March 4 – Springfield, MA – Springfield Symphony Hall
March 6 – Westbury, NY – Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair
March 7 – Pittsburgh, PA – Benedum Center
March 8 – Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Center for the Arts
March 10 – Reading, PA – Santander Performing Arts Center
March 11 – Virginia Beach, VA – Sandler Center
March 13 – Durham, NC – DPAC
March 14 – Greenville, SC – Bon Secours Wellness Arena
March 17 – Knoxville, TN – Knoxville Civic Auditorium
March 19 – Huntsville, AL – VBC Mark C. Smith Concert Hall
March 20 – Macon, GA – Atrium Health Amphitheater
March 21 – Clearwater, FL – The BayCare Sound

March 25-29, 2026 – Miami, FL – Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea XI +
April 10-12, 2026 - Miramar Beach, FL - Sound Wave Beach Weekend +
+Sold Out

EUROPE TOUR 2026
April 22 - Hamburg, DE - Barclays Arena
April 24 - Rotterdam, NL - Rotterdam RTM Stage
April 25 - Paris, FR - La Seine Musicale
April 27 - Esch-sur-Alzette, LU - Luxembourg Rockhal
April 29 - Mannheim, DE - SAP Arena
May 1 - Chemnitz, DE - Stadthalle Chemnitz
May 2 - Nürnberg, DE - PSD Bank Nürnberg Arena
May 3 - Zürich, CH - Hallenstadion
May 6 - London, UK - Royal Albert Hall
May 7 - London, UK - Royal Albert Hall
October 21 - Helsinki, FL - Veikkaus Arena
October 23 - Stockholm, SE - Stockholm Avicii Arena
October 24 - Oslo, NO - Oslo Spektrum
October 25 - Gothenburg, SE - Göteborg Partille Arena
October 27 - Copenhagen, DK - K.B. Hallen København
October 29 - Rostock, DE - Stadthalle Rostock
October 30 - Berlin, DE - Uber Arena
October 31 - Dortmund, DE - Westfalenhalle
November 4 - Milan, IT - Unipol Forum
November 6 - Toulouse, FR - Zenith Toulouse Metropole
November 7 - Barcelona, ES - Barcelona Sant Jordi CLub
November 8 - Madrid, ES - Madrid Palacio Vistalegre

ABOUT JOE BONAMASSA
Blues-rock superstar Joe Bonamassa is one of the most celebrated performing musicians of today. As a five-time GRAMMY-nominated artist and 15x Blues Music Award Nominee (4-time winner), he achieved his 29th No.1 album on the Billboard Blues Chart with his highly acclaimed 17th studio album Breakthrough, which has been described as his most adventurous and genre-defying album to date. Only in his 40s, Bonamassa has become a living legend with an astounding multi-genre catalog. He has released more than 50 albums, including studio and live recordings, as well as collaborative albums with his adventurous side projects: Black Country Communion and Rock Candy Funk Party.

A prolific writer who is always on the hunt to expand his eclectic musical horizons, Bonamassa has a limitless work ethic whether it’s in the studio, on the road, or working with other artists to spur new music. In recent years, he has produced an immense number of albums including Joanne Shaw Taylor, Marc Broussard, Larry McCray, Jimmy Hall, Robert Jon & The Wreck and others for his independent labels Journeyman Records and KTBA Records, and has also launched Journeyman LLC, a full-service artist management, record label, concert promotion, and marketing company that builds awareness for independent artists worldwide. Visit http://www.jbonamassa.com for more information.

For more information, please contact Jon Bleicher at Prospect PR
[jon@prospectpr.com, 973.330.1711]

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