RSU Radio Remembers B.B. King
Blues legend B.B. King dies at 89.
Born September 16th, 1925 as Riley B. King he originally worked as a tractor driver before setting out on his music career. While working at WDIA, a radio station in Memphis, as a singer and a disc jockey he earned the nickname “Beale Street Blues Boy” which was later shortened to “Blues Boy” and finally B.B. King.
King hit the height of his career in 1956; he played around 342 one night stands. During this time he wrote such hits as “3 O’clock Blues”, “Sweet Little Angel” and many more. The legend was rarely seen without his trade mark black lacquered Gibson guitar, Lucille. He even presented the guitar to Pope John Paul II when he performed at the Vatican’s fifth annual Christmas Concert. Throughout his career King worked with other rockers like U2 on the song “When Love comes to Town” and with Eric Clapton on the album called “Riding with the King”.
He won many different awards and honors during his life including 15 Grammy Awards. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990. He was the first blues musician to receive the Kennedy Lifetime achievement award in 1995. Also in 2006 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his musical contribution.
In his early 60’s King was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, but he continued to tour well into his 80’s. In October of 2014, after having to cancel the last few shows of his tour, King announced he was going home to recuperate. Then, on May 1st, after two hospitalizations King said he was in hospice care at his home in Nevada, where he died on May 14th.
