Riley B. King Born September 16th, 1925, known by the stage name B.B. King, is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter acclaimed for his expressive singing and fluid, complex guitar playing.
King hails from Indianola, Mississipi. His expressive singing style, developed as he grew up singing in the gospel choir. At age 12, King bought his first guitar. In 1946, age 21, King moved to Memphis, Tennessee, which throughout the 50s would become the melting pot for Blues, Gospel and Rock and Roll. King would become a key player. His ten-minute radio spot on the legendary Memphis Radio station WDIA, affectionately became known as “King’s Spot” and later as a disk jockey he would become known as “Beale Street Blues Boy” after the street at the epicenter of the Blues scene.
King’s band, the B.B. King Review formed and began recording in 1949. During a performance later that year, a brawl would erupt between two men fighting for the attention of a young lady, resulting in a fire. King having left the building without his beloved $30 Gibson electric guitar, realized the imminent demise of the instrument and returned into the burning building to rescue the guitar. The woman at the heart of the brawl was named Lucille. King named that first guitar Lucille, as well as everyone he owned since that near fatal experience, as a reminder never again to do something as stupid.
King would forge his name over the following years, not only as a recording artists, but also for bringing to the fold new artists on his own ‘Blues Boys Kingdom’ recording label. King amassed a collection of hits in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. His contribution to music would continually receive recognition. In 1980 he would be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. In 1987, he garnered a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which would become the first of 15 Grammy Awards. In 2004 he was awarded the international Polar Music Prize, given to artists “in recognition of exceptional achievements in the creation and advancement of music”.
Despite a series of farewell tours, King continues to perform throughout the world, with tours of Europe, Brazil and the US. Collaborating with other artists of notoriety, including Eric Clapton, U2, John Mayall, Gladys Knight. Over a 52-year period, B.B. King has played in excess of 15,000 performances.
