King, the undisputed “King of the Blues” for more than six decades, died May 14, at his Las Vegas home. King, Mississippi-born master of the blues, dies at 89", "B.B. Onzie Horne was a trained musician elicited as an arranger to assist King with his compositions. [13] However, King returned to Mississippi shortly afterward, where he decided to prepare himself better for the next visit, and returned to West Memphis, Arkansas, two years later in 1948. He was 89. King died on Thursday in Las Vegas, his attorney told The Associated Press. [82] King Blues Clubs in Nashville and Memphis. I had Tuff Green on bass, Ben Branch on tenor sax, his brother, Thomas, on trumpet, and a lady trombone player. Singer-guitarist B.B. King died Thursday at his home in Las Vegas. [66] King recorded for the debut album of rapper and producer Big K.R.I.T., who also hails from Mississippi. King made guest appearances in numerous popular television shows, including The Cosby Show, The Young and the Restless, General Hospital,[84] The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Sesame Street,[85] Married... with Children, Sanford and Son, and Touched by an Angel. [97], King's favorite singer was Frank Sinatra. I'll miss you, B. I love you and I promise I will keep these damn Blues alive. [14] In 1962, King signed to ABC-Paramount Records, which was later absorbed into MCA Records (which itself was later absorbed into Geffen Records). King." The minister taught King his first three chords. King Together Again...Live, Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=B.B._King&oldid=1017645138, Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners, United States National Medal of Arts recipients, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using Template:Infobox musical artist with unknown parameters, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Articles with Encyclopædia Britannica links, Wikipedia articles with CANTIC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with PLWABN identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SELIBR identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 1973: Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from, Each year during the first week in June, a King Homecoming Festival is held in, This page was last edited on 13 April 2021, at 22:27. [22], He worked at WDIA as a singer and disc jockey, where he was given the nickname "Beale Street Blues Boy", later shortened to "Blues Boy", and finally to B.B. [13][12] After his death, three more have come forward, claiming King as their father as well. King, was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. King taps into something universal," Clapton told The Times in 2005. B.B. [61] He also contributed to Cyndi Lauper's album Memphis Blues, which was released on June 22, 2010. King's career spanned more than 65 years. King was born on September 16, 1925,[12] on the Berclair cotton plantation near the town of Itta Bena, Mississippi,[6][13] the son of sharecroppers Albert and Nora Ella King. [58] Also in 2008, he was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame. [91] In May 2016, the 11 surviving children initiated legal proceedings against King's appointed trustee over his estimated $30 million to $40 million estate. Other popular L5 users are Allan Holdsworth and Ty Tabor of King's X. In 1988, King reached a new generation of fans with the single "When Love Comes to Town," a collaborative effort between King and the Irish band U2 on their Rattle and Hum album. The blues legend BB King, whose death at the age of 89 was announced on Thursday, has left behind a family at war with his manager. White took him in for the next ten months. I had Phineas Newborn on piano; his father played drums, and his brother, Calvin, played guitar with me. He gets stuck in your head, he gets you moving, he gets you doing the things you probably shouldn't do—but will always be glad you did. B.B. King, the last of the Southern-born blues musicians who defined modern electric blues in the 1950s and would influence scores of rock and blues guitarists, has died. Some people, they seem to hold a certain governing time and space together, and when they pass, you just know the facts, the recollections, the details...they're left to fend for themselves. Cause of death was not released. Goodbye, B... John, A photo posted by johnmayer (@johnmayer) on May 15, 2015 at 11:09am PDT. In November 1964, King recorded the Live at the Regal album at the Regal Theater. What is B.B. "You and Me with B.B. King real name: Riley B. Born on September 16 #32. "[29], King assembled his own band; the B.B. The L5 has an onboard compressor, parametric equalization, and four inputs. King's life was the subject of the 2012 documentary B.B. [101], In 2002, King signed on as an official supporter of Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit organization that provides free musical instruments and instruction to children in underprivileged public schools throughout the United States. A third club in New York City's Times Square opened in June 2000 but closed on April 29, 2018. that particular day in Chicago everything came together". King Buried in Indianola, Mississippi", "Music And Tears At BB King Memphis Procession", "Beale Street says goodbye to B.B. Rest well. This led to a significant increase in his weekly earnings, from about $85 to $2,500,[36][37] with appearances at major venues such as the Howard Theater in Washington and the Apollo in New York, as well as touring the "Chitlin' Circuit". Born Riley B. The … King, Defining Bluesman for Generations, Dies at 89 1/10 B.B. The Newborn family were the house band at the famous Plantation Inn in West Memphis. He collapsed during a concert in Chicago in October, blaming dehydration and exhaustion. Released in 2008, they documented his first live performances in over a decade. Most Popular #9348. King on a Plantation in the Mississippi Delta. King was born September … Related: B.B. King — WMC Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee", "BB King's funeral draws hundreds as Obama says country 'has lost a legend' | US news", "Community news from The Centre Daily Times in State College, PA", "Singin' the Blues - B.B. 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. From 1950 to 1970, King toured about 300 days a year. He was 89. King stated, [91], King was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1990. King was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President George H.W. King's new Memphis-style club", "George Coleman: This Gentleman can PLAY", "B.B. King preps new album", "Here Are Hundreds More Artists Whose Tapes Were Destroyed in the UMG Fire", "How B.B. [35] In December 1997, he performed in the Vatican's fifth annual Christmas concert and presented his trademark guitar "Lucille" to Pope John Paul II. The words that King’s mother said to … King Gives His Prized Electric Guitar "Lucille" to Pope John Paul II During a Private Audience", "BB. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How … He could play so smooth, he didn't have to put on a show. King: Laureate of the Polar Music Prize 2004", "B.B. [46][47] In 1998, he appeared in The Blues Brothers 2000, playing the part of the lead singer of the Louisiana Gator Boys, along with Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Koko Taylor and Bo Diddley. King: The Life of Riley, a feature documentary about King narrated by Morgan Freeman and directed by Jon Brewer, was released on October 15, 2012. Back, Les. King Museum.[112]. King Died From Mini Strokes, Coroner Says", "B.B. King, who helped bring blues from the margins to the mainstream, died May 14 in Las Vegas, according to his daughter Patty King. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. B.B. B.B. So just how rich was B.B. ", Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album, B.B. [89], King was married twice, to Martha Lee Denton, November 1946 to 1952, and to Sue Carol Hall, 1958 to 1966. [50], In June 2006, King was present at a memorial of his first radio broadcast at the Three Deuces Building in Greenwood, Mississippi, where an official marker of the Mississippi Blues Trail was erected. No family members were present. King, the larger-than-life guitarist and singer who helped popularize electric blues and brought it to audiences for more than six decades, died Thursday in Las Vegas. He performed on Sonny Boy Williamson's radio program on KWEM in West Memphis, where he began to develop an audience. In 1956 alone, he performed 342 shows. King Review, under the leadership of Millard Lee. Guitarist. B.B. Family members say 11 survive. [64], Rolling Stone ranked King at No. 6 on its 2011 list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. Nicknamed "King of the Blues," he was known for hits like "My Lucille," " Rock Me Baby," "Sweet Little Angel" and "The Thrill Is Gone," among countless others. King was born Riley B. King Given Key to the City at Bonnaroo", "Reporting From Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010", "President Obama Sings "Sweet Home Chicago, "First Listen: Big K.R.I.T., 'Live From The Underground, "Byblos Festival featured B.B. [67] On July 5, 2012, King performed a concert at the Byblos International Festival in Lebanon. By Bill Trott. Management is currently in the process of finding a new location in New York City. [62], In 2011, King played at the Glastonbury Music Festival,[63] and in the Royal Albert Hall in London, where he recorded a concert video. American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter, For more information about King's guitar, see, When I sing, I play in my mind; the minute I stop singing orally, I start to sing by playing, 2006–2014: Farewell tour and later activities. [60] In June 2010, King performed at the Crossroads Guitar Festival with Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan, and Eric Clapton. [100] In addition to prison reform, King also wanted to utilize prison performances as a way to preserve music and songs in a similar way that Alan Lomax did. King's Blues Club", "B.B. King Dead at 89: Blues guitarist whose sound defined music for generations passes away in sleep", "Rolling Stone Magazine Lists 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", "B.B. Ten days after King died at age 89, five days before he returned to the Delta, two of his daughters signed affidavits saying they believed he was murdered. He evacuated along with the rest of the crowd but went back to retrieve his guitar. DEATH DATE May 14, 2015 (age 89) Popularity . Additionally, one of his albums, Live at the Regal, was declared a historic sound. Blues legend B.B. King, Planetary Humanism and the Blues Behind Bars. During one show in Twist, Arkansas, a brawl broke out between two men and caused a fire. Other children have filed lawsuits targeting King's music estate, which remains in dispute. King was attracted to the Pentecostal Church of God in Christ because of its music. In 2005, Gibson made a special run of 80 Gibson Lucilles, referred to as the "80th Birthday Lucille", the first prototype of which was given as a birthday gift to King, and which he used thereafter. King: The Life of Riley, and the inspiration for the B.B. By his own admission, King could not play chords well and always relied on improvisation. Another opened in the New Orleans French Quarter in 2016.[83]. May 12, 2009. No one inspired more up-and-coming artists. He was 89. King among hundreds of artists whose recordings were reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire. Virgo ... BB King Fans Also Viewed . [23][24][25] It was there that he first met T-Bone Walker. [13], While young, King sang in the gospel choir at Elkhorn Baptist Church in Kilmichael. Born in 1925 #7. King (Singer) Girlfriend/Wife /dating /Affairs? Riley B. King: Biography and Much More from", "B.B. He is most remembered for The Thrill Is Gone. Riley B. . DEATH DATE May 14, 2015 (age 89) Birth Sign Virgo. He played a Fender Esquire on most of his recordings with RPM Records. B.B. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shimmering vibrato and staccato picking that influenced many later blues electric guitar players. [13] He considered the nearby city of Indianola, Mississippi to be his home. No one worked harder than B.B. B. King used equipment characteristic of the different periods he played in. They had a good sound and they were durable; guys would throw them in the truck and they’d hold up. The guitarist and song-writer died on May 14 while under hospice care at home in Las Vegas at the age of 89. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows! [57], In the summer of 2008, King played at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, where he was given a key to the city. King, Defining Bluesman for Generations, Dies at 89", "Historical marker placed on Mississippi Blues Trail", "King of the Hill : Up at CityWalk, blues and Delta cuisine spice up B.B. [59], King performed at the Mawazine festival in Rabat, Morocco, on May 27, 2010. [73] However, he was best known for playing variants of the Gibson ES-355. That's why I've called him a 'global musician.'". King's physician and the coroner in Las Vegas say the 89-year-old blues legend died of a series of small strokes attributable to his longstanding battle with type 2 diabetes. Blues legend B.B. King's appearances led to steady engagements at the Sixteenth Avenue Grill in West Memphis, and later to a ten-minute spot on the Memphis radio station WDIA. Birthday September Sep 16, 1925. Died / Death. [102], In the 2000s to early 2010s, King[93] was also involved in a diabetes awareness campaign with American Idol contestant, Crystal Bowersox, with One Touch Ultra, starring in commercials promoting diabetes health management. Today, B.B. (As in 2015) His age is 89 Years and his Date of birth is September 16, 1925. It’s what I’m using tonight. "[45], From the 1980s to his death in 2015, he maintained a highly visible and active career, appearing on numerous television shows and sometimes performing 300 nights a year. King, a Mount Rushmore figure in American blues music, died May 14 in hospice care in Las Vegas. King said, "Once I'd heard him for the first time, I knew I'd have to have [an electric guitar] myself. Riley B. [27], According to King and Joe Bihari, Ike Turner introduced King to the Bihari brothers while he was a talent scout at Modern Records. [71][105][106] King died in his sleep on May 14, 2015, at the age of 89,[18] from vascular dementia caused by a series of small strokes as a consequence of his type 2 diabetes. King, was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. King Avoids the Diabetes Blues | Diabetes Health", "Crystal Bowersox: Striving to Live Without Limitations | Diabetes Health", "B.B. It also gained the number 183 spot in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The tone he got out of that guitar, the way he shook his left wrist, the way he squeezed the strings... man, he came out with that and it was all new to the whole guitar playin' world. He had also been in declining health during the last year. [39], From the late 1960s, new manager Sid Seidenberg pushed King into a different type of venue as blues-rock performers like Eric Clapton (once a member of The Yardbirds, as well as Cream), and Paul Butterfield were popularizing an appreciation of blues music among white audiences. He sat on the organization's Honorary Board of Directors. [7][8][9] King performed tirelessly throughout his musical career, appearing on average at more than 200 concerts per year into his 70s. King Signature Electric Guitar Strings" with gauges: 10–13–17p–32w–45w–54w and D'Andrea 351 MD SHL CX (medium 0.71mm, tortoiseshell, celluloid) picks. The video of the four-night production featured his regular B.B. Plus like "Dixie Chicken" Little Feat song, I actually met a southern belle, um say no more, while I was ogling guitars through window at Gibson guitar factory. "[74], He later moved on from the larger Gibson hollow-bodied instruments which were prone to feedback when played at high volumes to various semi-hollow models beginning first with the ES-335 and then a deluxe version called the ES-355 which employed a stereo option. King Sang In the Gospel Choir & Bought His First Guitar At Age 12. [35] King later said that Regal Live "is considered by some the best recording I've ever had . King of the Blues: Legend B.B. King was born on September 16, 1925 as Riley B. King is a member of the following lists: American rock singers, American singer-songwriters and Geffen Records artists. [13][90] It is reported that he fathered 15 children with several different women. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center, in Indianola, for people to view his open casket. King lived up to his legend at New Orleans Jazz Fest", "B.B. [87], King, who was diabetic, appeared in several television commercials for OneTouch Ultra, a blood glucose monitoring device, in the 2000s and early 2010s. "[26], In the late 1940s and early 1950s, King was a part of the blues scene on Beale Street. [77] Two more clubs opened, at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut in January 2002,[78] and in Nashville in 2003. [107] Two of his daughters alleged that King was deliberately poisoned by two associates trying to induce diabetic shock,[108] however an autopsy showed no evidence of poisoning. They had tubes, and they’d get real hot, but they just had a sound that is hard to put into words. B.B. [19][20], In 1946, King followed Bukka White to Memphis, Tennessee. The cause of death was a series of small strokes attributable to his battle with type 2 diabetes; King had been in hospice care since last month. NEWS: Why B.B. King became a man at age 9 when his mother died, the Rev. King died Thursday at his home in Las Vegas. He was 89. [98], On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed B.B. King - Songs, Reviews, Credits", "B.B. He credited Sinatra for opening doors to black entertainers who were not given the chance to play in "white-dominated" venues. King became one of the most important names in R&B music in the 1950s, amassing an impressive list of hits[25] including "You Know I Love You", "Woke Up This Morning", "Please Love Me", "When My Heart Beats like a Hammer", "Whole Lotta Love", "You Upset Me Baby", "Every Day I Have the Blues", "Sneakin' Around", "Ten Long Years", "Bad Luck", "Sweet Little Angel", "On My Word of Honor", and "Please Accept My Love". Blues legend B.B. 's music is going to do something it's never done before: help us through the blues we have from losing him. [6], King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and is one of the most influential blues musicians of all time, earning the nickname "The King of the Blues", and is considered one of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with Albert King and Freddie King, none of whom are blood related). The local minister performed with a Sears Roebuck Silvertone guitar during services. He named the guitar Lucille, as a reminder not to fight over women or run into any more burning buildings. He will forever inspire guitar players to argue (successfully) that less is more, that heart will always win over mind. King? He was 89. and, at King's direct request, no f-holes to further reduce feedback. Autopsy results showed no evidence of poisoning. Sources have estimated that B.B.’s net worth was over $30 million at the time of his passing, his wealth having been earned as a singer, guitarist and songwriter during his career in the music industry stretching over more than 70 years. 1956 became a record-breaking year, with 342 concerts booked and three recording sessions. The blues legend passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home on Thursday night, his lawyer confirmed. B.B. He successfully worked both sides of the commercial divide, with sophisticated recordings and "raw, raucous" live performance. King, who was 89, still maintained an active touring schedule into late last year. He died on May 14, 2015 (aged 89) in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. B.B. King. There, among other projects, he was a producer for artists such as Millard Lee and Levi Seabury. [110] He was laid in repose at the B.B. may be gone, but that thrill will be with us forever. American Musician B.B. King the blues", "B.B. I fell in love with it, because its sound is right between the old Fender amps that we used to have and the Fender Twin. [74] In 1980, Gibson Guitar Corporation launched the B.B. In 2000, the children's show Between the Lions featured a singing character named "B.B. Guitarist #36. King, Nick Name(s): The King of the Blues,bb king Height: 5'10''(in feet & inches) 1.778(m) 177.8(cm) , Birthdate(Birthday): September 16, 1925 , Age on May 14, 2015 (Death date): 89 Years 7 Months 28 Days Profession: Movies (Singer), Also working as: Record Producer,Songwriter, Features: he has dark brown eyes,black hairs,, Address: US, Father: Albert King, … They also have a giant replica of "Lucille" BB King's black Gibson ES 345. King, 'King of the Blues,' Dead at Age 89 I hadn't expected that I'd be talked into singing a few lines of 'Sweet Home Chicago' with B.B. and me: Remembering King of Blues though the years", "PBS Encourages Kids to Read Between the Lions", "Blues Legend B.B. . [75], King used a Lab Series L5 2×12" combo amplifier and had been using this amplifier for a long time. [79] Another club opened in Orlando in 2007. His zodiac sign is Virgo. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. [53], In late October 2006, King recorded a concert album and video entitled B.B. "Beale Street was where it all started for me," King said. 1925", "How the church gave B.B. He Was Born Riley B. "How Blue can You Get? [88] He appeared in 1995 in a McDonald's commercial with Australian guitarist Nathan Cavaleri, and then in a commercial for the Toyota Camry with his guitar Lucille. "B.B. Biography - A Short Wiki. King began as a disc jockey in Memphis before finding fame as a blues and R&B guitarist, with hits like "The Thrill Is Gone." Although King continued to perform well into his 80s, the 15-time Grammy winner—who released more than 50 albums during his lifetime—suffered from diabetes. King had 15 children by 15 women - and now his kids are going to war over his estate, which could be worth up to $40million King's sperm count was … A funeral procession went down Beale Street, with a brass band marching in front of the hearse, playing "When the Saints Go Marching In." [14] When King was four years old, his mother left his father for another man, so he was raised by his maternal grandmother, Elnora Farr, in Kilmichael, Mississippi. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center", "28 July 2007 – Crossroads Guitar Festival", "Stars Join Forces to Salute (and Support) a Rock Legend", "B.B. The same month, a groundbreaking was held for a new museum, dedicated to King,[51] in Indianola, Mississippi. King to Memphis to open the original B.B. [52] The B.B. Rolling Stone placed King behind only Hendrix and Duane Allman in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. The legendary musician had been experiencing increased issues with his health related to his diabetic condition, having had to cancel eight tour dates last October due to dehydration and exhaustion. AllMusic recognized King as "the single most important electric guitarist of the last half of the 20th century". [38] That same year he founded his own record label, Blues Boys Kingdom, with headquarters at Beale Street in Memphis. King and feel what happens. Many of King's early recordings were produced by Sam Phillips, who later founded Sun Records. King also used a Fender Twin Reverb. The failure of both marriages has been attributed to the heavy demands made by King's 250 performances a year. Note: "B.B." As a result, he stopped flying around the age of 70. Thousands lined the streets to pay their last respects. King, the “King of the Blues” who helped define his genre’s electrified postwar sound and became the music’s best-known international ambassador, has died.