It is with profound sadness that we report the passing of the ambassador of The Blues, BB King (1925-2015). At age 89, King suffered from diabetes for many years, and was recently placed in hospice care.

King was a true gentleman, always charismatic, always accommodating and beloved by millions. King played for presidents and for prisoners, having received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush in 2006, while also having released albums like Live at Cook County Jail in 1971.

Born a cotton plantation in Mississippi, King was raised by his grandmother and worked the fields in his earlier days. When he purchased his first guitar at the age of 12, King found his calling. By 1946, King made his way up to Memphis, and landed a regular spot on the blues master Sonny Boy Williamson’s radio show.  As BB became more popular, his role expanded. He even worked as a DJ at the station, earning the nickname “Beale Street Blues Boy.” Which was shortened to “Blues Boy,” or BB.

Perhaps as iconic as BB King is his guitar, Lucille. Playing in an Arkansas dance hall in 1949, two fighting men accidentally knocked over a burning barrel of kerosene (which was used as a heater) and set the place on fire. King was evacuated, but rushed inside to save his guitar. Only later did he learn that the two men were fighting over a woman named Lucille. And so a legend was born.

The bluesman released 74 albums and nearly 200 singles in his career, performing with everyone from U2 to Stevie Ray Vaughan to The Rolling Stones. His friend Eric Clapton posted the following video in honor of King at his time of passing.

BB King a dear friend and inspiration to me….

Posted by Eric Clapton on Friday, May 15, 2015

 

Even Phish brought King out for a rendition of his Grammy-winning hit, “The Thrill Is Gone,” back in 2003.

Like many of the jam bands that we laud for their devotion to the road, BB King was a tireless entertainer. In his prime, King played as many as 342 concerts in a single year. Even into his 80s, King was playing over 100 shows a year.

BB King’s greatest accomplishment was taking the Blues to mainstream audiences. BB almost single-handedly shaped the direction of The Blues, which in turn influenced jazz and rock and roll. There is not a single performer in blues, jazz or rock today who is not reminiscing about their first BB King concert or that BB King record they loved. He was the Beethoven of the Blues.

-Written by “The Jamfather” and Dave Melamed

[Via BBC]