B.B. King’s daughter hopes to expand music caree
B.B. King’s daughter hopes to expand music caree
September 24, 2010
By Melissa Ruggieri
houmatoday.com

ATLANTA — When your father is B.B. King and you choose to enter the music realm, you’re either supremely confident or a little batty.

Claudette King, the youngest of the guitar legend’s 15 children, isn’t crazy, but she does possess a voice that should engender plenty of self-assurance.

For more than two decades, King performed in clubs throughout northern California and even opened for her father.

But it wasn’t until this week that her mischievous bluesy rasp was officially released on record in the form of “We’re Onto Something,” released on the Blues Express Inc. label.

The other new event in King’s life came nine months ago, when she became an Atlantan, moving east for a few reasons: To be closer to her 28-year-old son, Steven Parella, who is completing a master’s degree at the Morehouse School of Medicine. To advance her music career. And “to search for a husband,” she said with a throaty laugh. “If (I don’t find one) here, the search will continue!”

King isn’t joking, but she also isn’t downplaying the impact that the Atlanta music scene could have on her livelihood.

King, who declined to give her age, initially began work on her debut in the late ‘90s. But family issues, including caring for her mother, Valerie Byrd, sidetracked King’s musical ambitions until now.

“It took about two years to rework things (from the original recordings), but by redoing the songs, I’ve developed a lot of skills,” she said. “My voice has gotten better than before, and the time helped me develop as a singer and an entertainer. Being around my father, I see a lot that I can absorb to become better.”

Ah, yes, the B (B) word.

While Papa King has publicly stated that he doesn’t feel he was the best father to any of his children because of his constant touring, Claudette King quickly dismisses his assertion.

“He’s a good father, an excellent father,” she said, adding that they talk “when the opportunity permits.”

King said that she sent the family patriarch a demo of “We’re Onto Something,” but since he hasn’t received a finished version yet, she doesn’t know what he thinks of the album.

Regardless, King observed plenty while growing up in a musical household and is trying to apply those lessons to her career now.

“It’s about dedication. That’s a must,” she said. “Whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability and don’t be afraid to explore.”

“I really wanted to see the different avenues that are presented here. I was told that it’s a little bit easier to get something going,” she said. “So far, I can see that the music industry is more in demand here and that there are more entities related to music.”

King’s album, which features the musical abilities of Etta James’ sons Sametto and Donto on a quartet of tunes and production by Steve Savage, who has worked with Robert Cray and John Hammond, is a polished collection of 11 songs that spotlight her love of traditional blues and R&B.