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B.B. King
B.B. King singer, guitarist, songwriter (Sept. 16, 1925-)
born Itta Bena, MS Nicknames “King of the Blues” “The Beale
Street Blues Boy” “Water from the white fountain didn’t
taste any better than from the black fountain.”
After serving in World War II, Riley B. King, better known
as B.B. King, became a disc jockey in Memphis, Tennessee,
where he was dubbed "the Beale Street Blues Boy." That
nickname was shortened to "B.B." and the guitarist cut his
first record in 1949. He spent the next decades recording
and touring, playing more than 300 shows a year. An artist
of international renown, King has worked with other
musicians from rock, pop and country backgrounds. He won his
15th Grammy Award in 2009.
Early Career
A singer and guitarist born into a sharecropping family on
September 16, 1925, in Itta Bena, Mississippi, B.B.
King—born Riley B. King—became one of the best-known blues
performers, an important consolidator of blues styles, and a
primary model for rock guitarists. Following his service in
the U.S. Army, he began his career as a disc jockey in
Memphis, Tennessee, where he was dubbed "the Beale Street
Blues Boy." That nickname was soon shortened to "B.B."
King made his first recording in 1949, and the next year
began a 12-year-long association with Kent/RPM/Modern, for
which he recorded a string of rhythm and blues hits,
including "You Know I Love You," "Woke Up This Morning" and
"Three O'Clock Blues," which reached No. 1 on the R&B charts
and became his first national hit. He also toured the
nightclub circuit continuously, averaging more than 300
shows annually for over 30 years. His style of music earned
him the title "King of the Blues."
Famed Guitar 'Lucille'
Coincidentally, the year that King made his first recording
was also the same year that he named his beloved guitar.
King attended a dance in Twist, Arkansas, that had a barrel
lit with kerosene in the middle of the dance floor, used to
keep the crowd warm late at night. While there, a fight
broke out and the barrel was knocked over, causing a fire to
spread throughout the venue. Everyone evacuated, including
King, but he rushed back inside to retrieve his prized
guitar.
Luckily, he managed to escape with his guitar as the
building collapsed around him. King later learned that the
fight erupted because of a woman who worked at the venue
named Lucille. From then on, King named his guitar "Lucille"
to remind himself never to do anything so foolish again.
Hit 'The Thrill Is Gone'
In 1962, King signed with ABC Records, which released Live
at the Regal(1965), a benchmark blues concert album. In
1969, he released his biggest hit single, "The Thrill is
Gone." The first bluesman to tour the Soviet Union in 1979,
by this time he had also become the first bluesman to enter
the pop mainstream, making regular appearances in Las Vegas,
Nevada and on network television.
King also found commercial success with the many
collaborations he's made over the years, including with
artists Eric Clapton, Elton John, Sheryl Crow, Van Morrison
and Bonnie Raitt.
In 1987, King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame.
Highly-Acclaimed Musical Artist
One of music's best-regarded performers, King picked up the
Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2006 for
his duets album 80, having won the award multiple times over
the decades. Later that year, he received the Presidential
Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. The
legendary singer and guitarist also became the subject of
his own museum, which opened its doors in 2008. The B.B.
King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola,
Mississippi, is dedicated to King's music, the music which
influenced him, and the history of the delta area.
Also in 2008, King released his latest studio album One Kind
Favor to critical acclaim. He did his own take on songs by
John Lee Hooker, T-Bone Walker and Lonnie Johnson, earning
yet another Grammy Award for his efforts, marking his 15th
win. In February 2012, King played a special gig at the
White House with Buddy Guy and others. He and his fellow
performers were accompanied by President Barack Obama on the
song "Sweet Home Chicago."
Recent Years
King played more than 250 concerts per year well into his
70s. In his 80s, the number of tour dates the guitarist
booked have been more limited in number. His health has been
deteriorating over the past few years. After a shaky concert
in April 2014 at the Peabody Opera House in St. Louis, fans
voiced their concern about King on social media saying he
appeared to be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or
dementia. After that show, the blues legend issued a public
apology for his erratic performance. In October 2014, the
89-year old fell onstage during a performance at Chicago’s
House of Blues and cancelled several upcoming gigs. In a
statement issued on his web site after the fall, it said the
singer had been “diagnosed with dehydration and suffering
from exhaustion.” But no matter where he is, King has his
signature guitar "Lucille" in his hands.
Courtesy of biography.com