King Bee is the final release by Blues legend Muddy Waters (born in 1913 as McKinley Morganfield), originally released in 1981 and produced by Johnny Winter. Due to Waters’ failing health, the LP was recorded in only three days in May of 1980. The LP includes newly recorded Muddy Waters classics, such as “I’m A King Bee”, “Champagne & Reefer”, “Sad Sad Day” and “(My Eyes) Keep Me In Trouble”. Around the time of the album’s release, Waters hit the road with a new band as much as his slowly declining health allowed him to.

By the end of 1981, he was diagnosed with lung cancer and had to have part of his lung removed. Still, in 1982 a new tour was booked but an increasing number of performances had to be canceled. And after having made a surprise appearance at an Eric Clapton concert in Miami that Summer, Waters found out the cancer had returned as he was coughing blood. Sadly, his body wasn’t strong enough for another operation. On April 30, 1983 McKinley Morganfield died of a heart attack. Five years later he was posthumously inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Amongst his admirers are Buddy Guy, The Rolling Stones, Rory Gallagher, John Mayall and Steve Winwood.