The Thrill is Gone: B.B. King Dead at 89
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Blues Icon and one heck of a guitarist, BB King dies in Las Vegas on Thursday, May 14, 2015.
The 89-year-old was a 15-time Grammy Award winner and was a member of the Rock and Roll and Blues Hall of Fames.
Accompanied by his long-time partner, Lucille; he achieved so many more accolades, which included: a Lifetime Achievement Award, Presidential Medal of the Arts; President Medal of Freedom ; the international Polar Music Prize ; and honorary doctorates from Yale and Brown.
King influenced Thousands of musicians in many genre's. Everyone from musical greats Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page ,Mike Bloomfield, Stevie Ray Vaughan as well as Keith Richards, Jeff Beck, Carlos Santana, Bono and Jimi Hendrix . Among the numerous acts he performed or recorded with were Hendrix, Clapton, U2, Bobby "Blue'' Bland, Ronnie Wood , Derek Trucks and Sheryl Crow .
Born, Riley B. King on Sept. 16, 1925 on a cotton plantation in the Mississippi Delta just outside Berclair; he grew up picking cotton. He was educated in a one-room schoolhouse and had to overcome a stuttering problem. His parents separated when he was 4 and his mother died when he was 10.
Overcoming many challenges in his childhood, Riley began his musical career playing on street corners for dimes in his youth, sometimes playing in various towns a night. He hitchhiked to Memphis, Tennessee to pursue a
career in the business in 1947.
career in the business in 1947.
King got his big break on Sonny Boy Williamson's radio show. He became popular enough to get his own sponsored radio show on station WDIA and later went on to play for Presidents, Kings and Queens, but always remained a humble soul.
How did he get the name B.B. King? Originally called the "Beale Street Blues Boy,'' which later became "Blues Boy King" and eventually shortened to B.B. King.
He cut several records starting in 1949 for the Nashville-based Bullet label and some for Sam Phillips ' RPM label. It was there that he did Three O'Clock Blues, which stayed atop the R&B charts for 15 weeks in 1951.
Some of King's classics were: How Blue Can You Get ; Everyday I Have the Blues ; Sweet Sixteen, Part 1; Please Love Me; Sweet Little Angel; and You Upset Me Baby. His biggest pop hit and signature tune was 1970's The Thrill Is Gone, which earned him his first Grammy and was given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1998.
In recent years, his albums continue to win the hearts of Blues lovers all across the globe . His most recent studio work, One Kind Favor (2008), was produced by T Bone Burnett and won a Grammy for best traditional blues album.
King is also known for his chain of entertainment venues, called B.B. King’s Blues Club, which he first opened in Memphis in 1994. He later opened seven more, with locations in Orlando, Florida, Las Vegas, NV, New York City, Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut and Boston, MA. [Many performers from all different genre's perform at his venues across the country.]
B.B. King left a legacy that let the world know that the "Blues was Alright". Those that may not have ever listening to a single Blues song still have been touched by this man's presence here on this earth.
Blues Boy King, we love you, you're music was called the blues, but brought so much happiness to us all. Rock the Heavens B.B. King, you will be truly missed...
Let you're music forever ring out in our hearts and bring joy to our souls!
Rest in Eternal Peace.
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