New York ? It was a quiet moment in a recording studio between two old friends — the genius of soul and the king of blues.

Ray Charles and B.B. King were readying to record a bluesy number that married one’s piano playing with the other’s guitar picking when they took a few minutes to catch up.

“He seemed to be reminiscing a bit. I remember he said ‘If we had known we were going to live this long, we would have taken better care of ourselves,”‘ King told The Associated Press during a recent interview. “I told him ‘You bet.”‘

It was the last time they would talk — or perform — together. Charles died a short time later of acute liver disease.

Their song, “Sinner’s Prayer,” a plea to God to forgive their trespasses, captures what neither could have known.

It’s one of 12 star-studded pairings on “Genius Loves Company,” Charles’ final album being released posthumously today by Concord Records and Hear Music.

“We wanted to make a record that would bring him back into the spotlight,” said producer John Burk, who worked with Charles on the duets album. “The fact that it’s his last record is a very sad thing for the music world.”

Much like Charles’ career, “Genius Loves Company” spans soul, rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, country, jazz and blues — and includes such guest stars as Norah Jones, Diana Krall and Johnny Mathis as well as King.

“Some of the songs I have been playing for years. Some were all-time favorites of mine that I’d never recorded. Others were songs by artists that I really liked,” Charles said before his death.

Willie Nelson and Charles recorded Frank Sinatra’s “It Was a Very Good Year.” Gladys Knight and Charles sang “Heaven Help Us All.”

Burk said the most emotional moment came between Charles and Elton John as the two recorded John’s “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word.” It was the last song recorded for the album and the last one Charles ever sang, Burk said.

“There wasn’t a dry eye in the recording booth,” Burk said. “It’s a very sad song, and there was just this emotion in the air.”