Friday, May 15, 2015

Remembering BB

   On the subject of authenticity, which he equates as ‘dead center’, John Gierach writes: ‘There are few things in this world that are truly dead center…’, & then goes on to list BB King as one of the precious agents abiding within that rare space.

With deep regards for BB King, an authentic artist who spent his entire life deeply engaged in his craft & the history of that craft, expanding the tradition, taking it further, while remaining ever true to the abiding core principles.  

Truly a king.

BB King

Hook: #12 Mustad 3366-BR (with the exception of a larger barb on the Mustad, this hook is, near as I can tell, identical in configuration to the Alec Jackson soft-hackle hook, at about 1/10th the cost)

Thread: black UNI 8/0

Body: bronze/black turkey (or crow) tail swords twisted with blue midge flash (I tie versions of this with copper or pearl flash too) – leave a tag of the tying thread to twist with the body materials – & dub over the thorax area with a bit of black rabbit

Hackle: natural bronze/black hen