Joe Bonamassa returns with Vol. IV of ‘B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100‘, unveiling five new songs from the landmark centennial tribute. Out now via KTBA Records, 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, with new songs rolling out monthly.
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.
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, Marcus 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 he delivered in every way. “He absolutely slayed it. B.B.’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 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.
The new volume lands as 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, on sale TODAY, 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 now available at jbonamassa.com/tour-dates.
Tracklist:
Disc 1:
- Paying The Cost To Be The Boss feat. Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
- Don’t Answer The Door feat. Marcus King
- To Know You Is To Love You feat. Michael McDonald, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks
- Let The Good Times Roll feat. Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Noah Hunt
- Sweet Little Angel feat. Buddy Guy
- When It All Comes Down (I’ll Still Be Around) feat. Larry McCray
- When Love Comes To Town feat. Slash, Shemekia Copeland & Myles Kennedy
- The Thrill Is Gone*
- Watch Yourself feat. Jimmie Vaughan
- Why I Sing The Blues feat. Bobby Rush
- Sweet Sixteen feat. Jimmy Hall & Larry Carlton
- Don’t You Want A Man Like Me feat. Larkin Poe
- I’ll Survive feat. Keb’ Mo’
- Heartbreaker feat. Trombone Shorty & Eric Gales
- There Must Be A Better World Somewhere feat. George Benson
- Chains And Things feat. Gary Clark Jr.
Disc 2:
- How Blue Can You Get feat. Warren Haynes
- You Upset Me Baby feat. Chris Cain
- Ghetto Woman feat. Ivan Neville
- Night Life feat. Paul Rodgers
- Ain’t Nobody Home feat. Jade MacRae & Robben Ford
- Bad Case Of Love feat. Joanne Shaw Taylor
- Never Make A Move Too Soon feat. Dion
- Three O’Clock Blues feat. Marc Broussard
- Think It Over feat. Train & Chris Buck
- It’s My Own Fault feat. Kim Wilson
- Every Day I Have The Blues feat. D.K. Harrell
- Please Accept My Love feat. John Nemeth
- So Excited feat. Aloe Blacc
- When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer feat. Dannielle De Andrea
- Playin’ With My Friends
- Better Not Look Down feat. Kirk Fletcher
About Joe Bonamassa:
Blues-rock superstar Joe Bonamassa is one of the most celebrated performing musicians of today. As a three-time GRAMMY-nominated artist and 15x Blues Music Award Nominee (4-time winner), he achieved his 27th No. 1 album on the Billboard Blues Chart with his most recent studio album, Blues Deluxe Vol. 2. Only in his mid-40s, Bonamassa has become a living legend with an astounding multi-genre catalog. He has released more than 40 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 a 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 and others for his independent label KTBA Records, and has also recently launched Journeyman LLC, a full-service artist management, record label, concert promotion, and marketing company that builds awareness for independent artists worldwide.
Bonamassa has been featured in several publications from Esquire, WSJ, and Parade to Rolling Stone and American Songwriter, as well as on the covers of Guitar World, Guitar Player, Vintage Guitar, Guitarist, and Classic Rock Magazine. His non-profit Keeping The Blues Alive provides funds and resources to schools and artists in need and has positively impacted more than 100,000 students to date while raising over 2.2 million in donations.