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| B.B. King 80th Birthday Benefit Concert Musical legend B.B. King is turning 80 years old, and some of the hottest names in entertainment will be by his side on Saturday, July 30 to honor the artist as the Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. hosts the B.B. King 80th Birthday Benefit concert. Isle of Capri officials announced today a preliminary lineup for the concert, to be held at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi. Emmy-award winning television personality, author, activist and talk-show host Montel Williams will serve as master of ceremonies for this once-in-a-lifetime evening. Headliner entertainment for the evening will include motion picture and television star Bruce Willis, who is also a chart-topping musical artist. The Emmy- and Golden Globe-winner is best known for his roles as an action hero in the "Die Hard" movie series and for his role in the 1980s sitcom/drama hit "Moonlighting." However, Willis has pursued his love of music as a recording artist since 1986, when he released his first album, which went platinum and remained on the charts for 29 weeks. Joining Willis will be a variety of blues, country, jazz and rock artists, including Kenny Wayne Shepard, Deborah Coleman, Bobby Blue Bland, Jody Williams, Smokin' Joe Kubeck, Dr. John and Dickie Betts. The concert will also include King playing several of his greatest hits, accompanied by all of the artists in attendance. "B.B. King has encouraged and inspired so many musical artists and entertained several generations of blues fans; therefore, Isle of Capri is paying homage to this legend with a tribute concert featuring some of the top names in entertainment. Our concert host, Montel Williams, will bring his notable and respected presence to the stage and Bruce Willis, along with our many other talented stars, will provide an evening of diverse and dynamic entertainment, " said Timothy M. Hinkley, Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. president and chief operating officer. Isle of Capri Casinos, Mississippi's largest publicly held company, is hosting the country's only official B.B. King birthday celebration with King present, to raise funds for the planned B.B. King Museum, located in Indianola, Miss. The $10 million B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center will be dedicated to honoring the international bluesman, preserve the Delta blues heritage and encourage and inspire young artists and musicians. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Jazz News :: home page |