B.B. King: King of the Blues Dies at 89
May 14, 2015
B.B. King was an American blues singer and guitarist. Born Riley B. King on September 16, 1925, in Itta Bena, Mississippi, he picked cotton as a boy.
He called his guitar Lucille and had hits with "The Thrill Is Gone" (1969). He won 15 Grammy Awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Kennedy Center Honors, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He performed about 250 shows a year for decades.
King died in Las Vegas on May 14, 2015, at age 89.
Achievements: 15 Grammy Awards, Presidential Medal of Freedom (2006).
Birth: September 16, 1925 - Itta Bena, Mississippi.
Profession: Blues musician.
Interesting Facts: His guitar was named Lucille.