B.B. King at The Louisville Palace, Louisville, KY

The King of Blues plays Derby City

by Carrie Daut | October 02, 2011

Music is big in Louisville. Whether it’s bluegrass, country, sold-out pop shows at the KFC Yum! Center or up-and-coming Indie artists along Bardstown Road, we know a good performance when we hear it.

When we aren’t nurturing our own local talent, we’re working to bring the country’s best concert tours through Louisville. And this month, we're bringing in B.B. King.

Born in 1925 in Mississippi, Riley B. King – known to us as B.B. King – began performing on the streets as a young child. After hitchhiking to Memphis to pursue a music career, King began recording his first songs in the 40s. He’s been the unstoppable “King of the Blues” ever since.

Throughout his career, B.B. King has released over 50 soulful albums and performed over 15,000 performances throughout the world. Today, at the age of 86, he still averages over 250 concerts each year.

As part of his current tour, B.B. King will perform in Louisville on Thursday, October 13 at The Louisville Palace Theater. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.

Opened in 1928, The Palace is a historic venue and one of the most beautiful theaters in Louisville. Designed in the Spanish-Baroque style, the theater is heavily ornamented with colors of cobalt blue, red and gold. The curved, vaulted ceiling of the lobby contains over 130 sculptures, and the ceiling of the theater room imitates the night sky.

Insider Tip: Many folks say that an added bonus of your ticket price is the chance to walk around the gorgeous interior!

Three ticket prices are available for the October 13 B.B. King show. Balcony seats are available for $49.50 (plus $13 in fees) or $59.50 (plus $14.50 in fees). Pit and orchestra seats are available for $65 (plus $14.75 in fees).

Before purchasing a ticket, The Palace’s seating chart can be viewed online. Tickets can be purchased online, by calling 1-800-745-3000 or by visiting The Palace’s Box Office. Located to the immediate right of the theater entrance, the Box Office is open Monday to Friday from noon to 5 p.m.

The Louisville Palace is located downtown at 625 S. 4^th Street, between Broadway and Chestnut Streets. Doors open one hour before showtime. Ample parking is available in nearby lots (Brown Hotel garage, Fifth Street garage, Chestnut Centre, etc.) For directions, tickets or other information, visit louisvillepalace.com or call (502) 583-4555.