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The Life of BB King

                                                                                         reposted from RandumbPrattles

BB King was one of the most world's most influential guitarists with a catalogue of over 40 studio albums to his name.  He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is sixth in Rolling Stone Magazine's Greatest Guitarists of all Time list.





Early Life


He was born as Riley B King in Mississippi in 1925 and was brought up by his grandmother after his parents split up.   He loved music from an early age and sang in a local gospel choir as a boy. He was talented in many forms of music, as well as singing, but his first love was guitar.  He got his first guitar aged 12, and the world was gifted a future musical giant.


Early Career


He first performances were in bars and on local radio.  His first job was as a radio presenter and singer for a local radio station in Memphis, and this is where he  picked up his lifelong nickname which is short for 'Blues Boy.'    After meeting the performer T-Bone, he was motivated to get an electric guitar.




Guitarist


His first guitar was a Fender Esquire, but he later became synonymous with the Gibson brand.  He so loved his Gibson guitar that he gave it a name, Lucille, after which one of his most famous songs is written.   His love for the Gibson guitar led to a long association with the brand. In fact, Gibson was so enamoured of King that they created a special edition named the BB King Lucille model.




Lucille


One of the most famous stories regarding King is the incident when he was forced by a fire to stop performing during a show in Twist, Arkansas.  The fire had been started as a result of a fight between two men in the audience who were apparently fighting over a woman named Lucille.   King ran back into the burning building to recover his instrument, and this is the origin of the name.



Success


His first Billboard number one came in 1952 for the song 3 O'clock Blues, and he became one of the major forces in Rhythm and Blues.  In 1956 he broke many records by performing 342 concerts all across the US.  Songs like "Whole Lotta Love" and "Sweet Little Angel" confirmed him as one of, if not the greatest, Blues performer of his generation.




Collaboration


Throughout the sixties he built on this success, being one of the most prolific performers in the world. In 1969 he gained more fame with rock audiences when he was invited by the Rolling Stones to open for their 'American Tour.'  This led to more collaborations with the likes of Eric Clapton, U2, Bo Diddley and many others.




Further Success


In 1970 he won a Grammy for the song "The Thrill is Gone" and his version is 183 on the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of all Time list.  He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.  In 1991 he opened the first of six blues clubs in Memphis.  He also appeared in many TV shows, ranging from Sesame Street to The Fresh Prince.

Though he was married twice to Martha Lee Denton and later to Sue Carol Hall, both marriages failed due to the stresses of his musical career and he left no children.  As a lifelong diabetic, King became sick in 2014, and he died in his sleep on May 14, 2015, aged 89.

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