B.B. King’s Most Iconic Montreux Performances Finally See Official Release

B.B. King’s Most Iconic Montreux Performances Finally See Official Release
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​B.B. King is the latest icon to join The Montreux Years series, with a new collection of restored live recordings capturing nearly two decades of his appearances at the legendary Swiss festival. Due November 20 via BMG, B.B. King: The Montreux Years will arrive on 2LP, 2CD and HD digital formats, with almost every performance making its official release debut.

Announced on what would have been King’s 101st birthday, the collection celebrates one of the most enduring artist–festival relationships in Montreux history. King performed at Montreux 23 times across four decades, returning again and again at the personal invitation of festival founder Claude Nobs. This new set pulls from selected performances between 1982 and 2000, offering a panoramic view of King’s evolution on the Montreux stage.

The 2CD and HD digital editions feature recordings from nine different appearances, while the 2LP vinyl edition draws from eight shows. Every track has been restored and newly mastered from the original tapes by Tony Cousins at Metropolis Studios in London. Alongside the announcement comes the release of “Early in the Mornin’,” captured during King’s 2000 performance  a tribute to one of his musical heroes, Louis Jordan — paired with an official video featuring footage from the festival.

Born Riley B. King in Itta Bena, Mississippi, the guitarist and vocalist became one of the most influential blues musicians of all time. With Lucille in hand, King carried the blues from its Southern roots to audiences around the world, shaping generations of players including Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. His career spanned more than half a century, during which he performed upward of 200 shows a year and earned fifteen Grammy Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and induction into both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Blues Hall of Fame.

The Montreux Years traces King’s journey through the festival’s changing eras — from the Casino Montreux shows of the 1980s to the Auditorium Stravinski performances of the 1990s and 2000. The tracklist includes standout moments such as “Guess Who” (1982), “Rock Me Baby” (1984), “Caldonia” (1987), and a 1990 rendition of “The Thrill Is Gone.” Later highlights include “All Over Again,” “Blues Boys Tune,” a smoldering 1995 take on “Stormy Monday,” and the newly released “Early in the Mornin’.” The 2CD and HD digital editions add four additional recordings, including a closing “Let The Good Times Roll” from King’s 1991 appearance.

More than a greatest‑hits live set, B.B. King: The Montreux Years documents a long‑running musical relationship an artist returning to the same stage at different points in his life, reconnecting with an audience that became part of his European story. With nearly every track making its official debut, the release also carries significant archival value for longtime fans and collectors.

Launched in 2021, The Montreux Years series draws from the vast Claude Nobs Collection  more than 4,000 concert recordings made between 1967 and 2012 and inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. King joins a lineup that already includes Nina Simone, Etta James, Muddy Waters, Dr. John, John McLaughlin, Marianne Faithfull and Roberta Flack.

2LP Tracklist:

Side A
All Over Again (Live at Auditorium Stravinski 1993)*
Ain’t Nobody Home (Live at Casino Montreux 1990)
Blues Boys Tune (Live at Auditorium Stravinski 1995)
Side B
Blues In A (Live at Casino Montreux 1989)
The Thrill Is Gone (Live at Casino Montreux 1990)
When It All Comes Down (I’ll Still Be Around) (Live at Casino Montreux 1990)
Side C
Early In The Mornin’ (Live at Auditorium Stravinski 2000)
Caldonia (Live at Casino Montreux 1987)
Guess Who (Live at Casino Montreux 1982)
Side D
Rock Me Baby (Live at Casino Montreux 1984)
Stormy Monday (Live at Auditorium Stravinski 1995)
* Previously released


2CD / HD Digital Tracklist

CD One
All Over Again (Live at Auditorium Stravinski 1993)*
Ain’t Nobody Home (Live at Casino Montreux 1990)
Blues Boys Tune (Live at Auditorium Stravinski 1995)
Blues In A (Live at Casino Montreux 1989)
The Thrill Is Gone (Live at Casino Montreux 1990)
When It All Comes Down (I’ll Still Be Around) (Live at Casino Montreux 1990)
You Know I Love You (Live at Casino Montreux 1989)**
CD Two
Early In The Mornin’ (Live at Auditorium Stravinski 2000)
Caldonia (Live at Casino Montreux 1987)
Guess Who (Live at Casino Montreux 1982)
Rock Me Baby (Live at Casino Montreux 1984)
Stormy Monday (Live at Auditorium Stravinski 1995)
Into The Night (Live at Casino Montreux 1991)**
Go On (Live at Casino Montreux 1990)**
Let The Good Times Roll (Live at Casino Montreux 1991)**
* Previously released
** 2CD and HD digital only


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