Reading Blues Fest: THE THREE KING
By Tracy Rasmussen
When kings get the blues -- it’s magic.
The Reading Blues Fest will celebrate that magic when blues outstanding guitarists Albert Castiglia, D.K. Harrell and Chris Cain take the stage to present the music of B.B. King, Albert King and Freddie King.
The concert – billed The Three Kings -- is set for Sunday, Nov. 23, at 3 p.m. in the DoubleTree Grand Ballroom.
The idea for the show came from the team that manages Castiglia, Harrell and Cain, but the musicians created the setlist and the unique set up for it.
“We decided to make it a little different from other shows like this,” said Harrell, whose band backs the lead musicians. “Instead of having one person do B.B. songs and another do Freddie or Albert, we decided to have each of us play each of them.”
Harrell said it wasn’t difficult to come up with the set list.
“I asked each of them to send me three or four of their favorites and I would adjust a set list so that we would rotate the songs,” he said.
So while Harrell favors B.B. King, he also puts his mark on the music of both Freddie and Albert.
“It really shows the different styles of blues being delivered,” he said.
Castiglia agreed.
“We alternate and it’s a lot of fun,” he said. “We are each disciples of one of them. I was always partial to Freddie, although I revered the other two. DK is a disciple of B.B. and Chris was very close to Albert King, so we each have a love for them and that makes it a great show.”
What also makes it a great show is the expertise of the musicians on the stage.
Chris Cain first saw Albert King as a teen in the 1970s and eventually took the stage with the great. That started a friendship and collaboration that went beyond the music and created a lasting impact on Cain’s career and musicianship.
He taught himself to play guitar when he was eight and was playing professionally less than a decade later, dropping his first (and multi-award-winning) album in 1987.
Another of the kings – B.B. this time -- noticed the talent, saying simply: “Chris Cain? Now that boy can play the guitar!”
Harrell had the opportunity to meet B.B. King when he was a teenager, saying that the 2013 meeting forever changed his life as he actively dedicates himself to continuing B.B.’s legacy.
“His former band members have said they are very proud of what I’m doing,” said Harrell, who also is self-taught on the guitar. “That really makes my heart happy.”
Ironically, he said he doesn’t have a favorite B.B. King song.
“Maybe I’m an oddball because most everybody says, “The Thrill is Gone,” said Harrell. “There are so many good ones: “I just Can’t Leave Your Love Alone,” “Into the Night,” and “Never Make Your Move Too Soon.” Those are all different songs, but B.B. was original. He was always true to who he was. I try to do that with my music, too.”
Castiglia said his admiration for Freddie King translates to the stage but is also channeled when he’s playing music by the other kings.
“I do B.B. King’s “Rock Me Baby,” “To Know You Is to Love You,” written by Stevie Wonder,” said Castiglia. “But we’re a on stage for each other’s songs. We’re all playing rhythm, and we showcase one person.”
They’ve been doing this show for about a year, he said. And it’s always great when they can get together with the Kings between other projects.
Harrell is stopping in Reading in between a Blues Cruise and a European tour and Castiglia is also touring in support of his 2025 release “Help Yourself” and getting ready to travel to London to record at the famed Abbey Road Studio.
Cain has been touring throughout the country for much of 2025 in support of his 2024 release, “Good Intentions Gone Bad” and won’t stop until December.
“We have our own projects,” Castiglia said. “But I look forward to this. D.K. is a rising star and Chris Cain has been around forever and is an envied blues player.”
For complete info on Reading Blues Fest, go to www.readingbluesfest.com