This week we lost a legend in the music industry, BB King. He had a music career that spanned over 6 decades and tour heavily until he died this past week. RIP, Mr. King, your legacy and music will live on in our hearts and lives forever.
Riley Ben King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known by his stage name B.B. King, was an American Hall of Fame bluessinger, songwriter and guitarist.
Lucille- 1968
Rolling Stone ranked King number 6 on its 2011 list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time (previously ranked number 3 in the 2003 edition of the same list). He was ranked No. 17 in Gibson’s “Top 50 Guitarists of All Time”.[3] According to Edward M. Komara, King “introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending and shimmering vibrato that would influence virtually every electric blues guitarist that followed.” King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He was considered one of the most influential blues musicians of all time, earning the nickname “The King of the Blues”, and one of the “Three Kings of the Blues Guitar” (along with Albert King and Freddie King). King was also known for performing tirelessly throughout his musical career, appearing at more than 200 concerts per year on average into his 70’s. In 1956, he reportedly appeared at 342 shows.
In 1990, King was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President George H.W. Bush. In 2006, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential blues guitarists of all time, inspiring countless other electric blues and blues rock guitarists. King died at the age of eighty nine from diabetes complications in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Thrill is Gone -1969
Side note: King’s favorite singer was Frank Sinatra. In his autobiography he spoke about how he was a “Sinatra nut” and how he went to bed every night listening to Sinatra’s classic album In the Wee Small Hours. Sinatra had gotten King into the main clubs in Las Vegas during the 1960’s. He credited Sinatra for opening doors to black entertainers who were not given the chance to play in “white-dominated” venues.
I Like to Live the Love
Ain’t Nobody’s Business- w/Ruth Brown
Sweet Little Angel -1956