Riley B. King, more commonly known as B.B King was one of the greatest blues players in all of American history. From his days as a disc jockey in Memphis, Tennessee, he was nicknamed Beale Street Blues Boy, which was later shortened to B.B. King. With the help of his trusty guitar, Lucille, he has been referred to as the "King of the Blues" for his uniquely sophisticated guitar soloing. In his lengthy career, he earned many accolades including 15 Grammys and being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, just to name a few.
King was born into a family of plantation workers in Mississippi, and growing up he sang in his church choir. But he became interested in blues music by listening to it on the radio during breaks from work on the plantation. With aspirations to become a radio musician, he taught himself to play the guitar and played locally on radio shows and in juke joints. After moving to Memphis, he gained popularity performing on the KWEM radio show, and continued on to play for WDIA radio station.
He released his first song in 1949, "Miss Martha King," and hence was the beginning of his lengthy career. Known for being an avid performer, he performed over 200 times annually and kept up this number much into his 70s. Some his most notable songs were "You Know I Love You," "Woke Up This Morning," and "Three O'Clock Blues," all of which came out at the top of the charts. "The Thrill is Gone" was released in 1969, and soon became a top hit on both the pop and R&B charts.
King died at the age of 89 in 2014 due to heart complications, but his legacy lives on. Over his career, he encountered great success, and became popular around the world. Many people continue to be inspired by his musical intuition today, and the "King of Blues" will remain as a huge influence to the music industry.