Indianola Mississippi Seeds

Indianola Mississippi Seeds
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 1970 (LP)
May 1989 (CD)
RecordedThe Record Plant, Los Angeles, California, May–June 1970 (except track 8 recorded at the Hit Factory, New York City, January 1969)
GenreBlues, R&B
Length39:20
LabelABC (LP)
MCA (CD)
ProducerBill Szymczyk
B. B. King chronology
Completely Well
(1969)
Indianola Mississippi Seeds
(1970)
Live in Cook County Jail
(1971)

Indianola Mississippi Seeds is B. B. King's eighteenth studio album. It was released in October 1970 on ABC Records on LP and May 1989 on MCA Records on CD. On this album B. B. King mixed elements of blues and rock music. Producer Bill Szymczyk decided to follow up on the success of the hit "The Thrill Is Gone" by matching King with a musical all-star cast. The result was one of King's most critically acclaimed albums and one of the most highly regarded blues crossover albums of all time.

The album appeared on several of Billboard's album charts in 1970, reaching number 26 on the Pop album chart, number seven on the Jazz album chart and eight on Billboard's listing for "Black Albums." The album also generated several hit singles, "Chains and Things", King's own "Ask Me No Questions" and Leon Russell's "Hummingbird".

King himself, also, views the album as one of his greatest achievements. When asked about his best work, King has said, "I know the critics always mention Live & Well or Live at the Regal, but I think that Indianola Mississippi Seeds was the best album that I've done artistically."[1]

  1. ^ Jas Obrecht, Rollin' and Tumblin': The Postwar Blues Guitarists, Backbeat Books, 2000, p.328 (ISBN 0-87930-613-0)