The King is Dead - Remembering B.B. King


Long live his music.


Blues legend B.B. King dies at age 89 in Las Vegas   CNN - May 15, 2015
Riley B. King, the legendary guitarist known as B.B. King, whose velvety voice and staccato-picking style brought blues from the margins to the mainstream, died Thursday night. He was 89. The Mississippi native's reign as "king of the blues" lasted more than six decades and straddled two centuries, influencing a generation of rock and blues musicians, from Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan, to Sheryl Crow and John Mayer.




When I was married, Ralph and I visited some of the blues clubs around the city. One of the most memorable performers was B.B. King. The music just lifted you from this reality. B.B. stands for Blues Boy. Remember when he sang "Sweet Home Chicago" with Obama?

Remember when he sang "Sweet Home Chicago" with Obama?


Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die.

B.B. King Quotes




B.B. King was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is considered one of the most influential blues musicians of all time, earning the nickname "The King of Blues", and one of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with Albert King and Freddie King). 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 also known for performing tirelessly throughout his musical career, appearing at more than 200 concerts per year on average into his 70s.

In 1956, he reportedly made 342 appearances.

King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

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.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at No. 6 on its 2011 list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time (previously ranked No. 3 in the 2003 edition of the same list), and he was ranked No. 17 in Gibson's "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time".

King was also inducted into 2014 class of the R&B Music Hall of Fame.





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