'King of the Blues' Blues Legend B.B. King Dead at Age 89

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'King of the Blues' Blues Legend B.B. King Dead at Age 89

B.B. King: The Man Who Saved the Blues by The Reverend Shawn Amos

The music icon died in his sleep at 9:40 p.m. Thursday, the Associated Press reports. He was 89. “B.B. King possessed what every musician desires: a signature sound. He made his Gibson guitar sing. King matters for one reason beyond his musical prowess. B.B. King saved the blues. Through his playing, his showmanship, his huge heart, B.B. King, more than any other blues musician proved that America’s greatest music was meant for the masses. Riley B. King walked from the cotton fields of Mississippi to the world’s stage on his own terms with his own music - blues music. His life of collaborations, honors, and awards is a testament to his musical power. B.B. King was the great blues ambassador. B.B. King is the last of the original blues players. For more about B.B. King watch the documentary: “The Life of Riley.” “B.B.” stands for Beale Street Boy - Beale Street being the downtown Memphis drag where much of modern day blues was born. King began his career on Beale Street in the late 1940s, working as singer and disc jockey on local radio station WDIA. Why BB King's Guitar is Named Lucille. B.B. King performs “The Thrill Is Gone” intro by Kenny Rogers on November 25, 1971. B.B. King - Live In Cook County Jail Vinyl LP Released: 1971 Recorded: Cook County Jail, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. September 10, 1970. Some might say it was U2 who gave B.B. King a late-career renaissance but anyone who knows about the 1960s British invasion understand the Europeans were the ones who got the better end of the deal. B.B. King gave U2 credibility that only a bluesman can provide. In ex-change, he got a new generation of fans to appreciate the blues. This was a blues peace mission of the highest order and B.B. King (then age 62) was the only person to play blues ambassador. Once again. Album : U2 - Rattle And Hum /1988/ When Love Comes To Town

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