"When I sing, I play in my mind; the minute I stop singing orally, I start to sing by playing Lucille.
" - B.B. King
B.B. King is probably one of the most influential blues artists ever. And that has not to do with outstanding virtuoso playing ability, whisky drenched voice or short life span. Instead he has brought the mainly black blues to the more white rock'n'roll artists. I'm not saying that there wouldn't be white blues artists without him, but I believe that there would be significantly fewer.
B.B. King was born as Riley B. King in Itta Bene, Mississippi, on September 16, 1925. During his early years he played blues and gospel on the streets for change. At the age of 22 he hitchhiked to Memphis, Tennessee, to pursue a career in music.
In 1951 he had his first major hit with "3 O'Clock Blues", which was followed by national tours where he could do up to 342 performances in one year (1956). At this time he changed his name to Beal Street Blues Boy, which changed to Blues Boy King. That in turn was abbreviated to B.B. King.
During this period he played in a small town in Arkansas, a fight broke out, a stove was knocked over setting fire to the place. Once outside B.B. realised that he had left his guitar on stage. He ran back in and managed, albeit only just, to save his beloved guitar. He later found out that the fight had been over a woman called Lucille, and he has named his guitar Lucille ever since. She has been replaced with new Gibsons during the years, but is still Lucille.
What makes B.B. so influential is his clean playing style. He plays few notes with lots of bends and left hand vibrato, rather not playing a note than a lot, and he never does chords. Another funny thing with B.B.'s playing is that he can't play and sing at the same time. He either sings or plays. Among his own influences are artists like Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker.
As I sit and write this I realise that, although I would not describe B.B. King as my favourite artist, he is still the one I've seen most times live. I think it's around eight, and they've all been really fun concerts. He always has a really great band and the last four times (at least) he had a very funny trumpet player with him. Big as a house, but dancing along and swinging his head back and forth like his neck was made of rubber. I've been sure every time that he would either hurt his neck or lose his head. Literally. B.B King is still, at 75, doing around 200 concerts a year. Astonishing!
Through the years B.B. King has often been considered as a less worthy blues musician, mainly because his music is easily accessible and that he makes a big show of his stage performances. However, 50 years of more or less constant touring and recording I think proves the opposite. If nothing else, have a look at the list of awards and prices below.
Editor's note: B.B. King died on April 15, 2015, of complications arising from his diabetes.
B.B. King Addendum Of Awards & Appearances
- Honorary Doctorates
- Gold Records
- Platinum Records
- 2000 Deuces Wild (released 1997)
- 2000 Riding With The King (B.B. King with Eric Clapton, released 2000)
- Honorariums
- 1995 Kennedy Center Honors
- 1991 National Award of Distinction - University of Mississippi
- 1991 National Heritage Fellowship - National Endowment of the Arts
- 1990 Presidential Medal of the Arts, presented by President George Bush Founding Member, John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center Co-founder, Foundation for the Advancement of Inmate Recreation and Rehabilitation (F.A.I.R.R.)
- W.C. Handy Awards (Blues Foundation)
- 2000 Blues Entertainer of the Year - B.B. King
- 1999 Blues Entertainer of the Year - B.B. King
- 1999 Contemporary Blues Album of the Year - Blues on the Bayou
- 1991 Blues Band of the Year - The B.B. King Orchestra
- 1988 Keeping the Blues Alive (Radio) - The B.B. King Radio Hour
- 1987 Keeping the Blues Alive (Radio) - The B.B. King Blues Hour
- 1985 Hall of Fame Classics of Blues Recordings (Single Recording, Including Album Tracks)
- 1983 Hall of Fame Classics of Blues Recordings (Albums) - Live at the Regal "The Thrill Is Gone"
- MTV Video Music Awards
- 1988/89 Best Video From a Film, "When Love Comes To Town" from Rattle & Hum, U2 With B.B. King
- National Association Of Recording Arts & Sciences
- 2000 New York Heroes Award
- N.A.A.C.P. Image Awards
- 1999 Image Awards Hall of Fame
- 1993 Best Blues Artists
- 1981 Best Blues Artist
- 1975 Best Blues Artist
- National Association Of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB)
- 1997 Pioneer in Music Award
- Trumpet Awards (Turner Broadcasting System)
- National Association For Campus Activities Awards
- 1986 Blues Act of the Year
- Natra Golden Mike Award
- 1974 Best Blues Singer of the Year
- 1969 Best Blues Singer of the Year
- French Academie Du Jazz Award
- Grammy Awards
- 2001 Best Pop Collaboration, "Is You Is, Or Is you Ain't (My Baby)" (with Dr. John )
- 2001 Best Traditional Blues Album, Riding With The King (with Eric Clapton)
- 1999 Best Traditional Blues Recording, Blues on the Bayou
- 1996 Best Rock Instrumental Performance, "SRV Shuffle" (with Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughan, Robert Cray, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, Dr. John and Art Neville) from A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan
- 1993 Best Traditional Blues Recording, Blues Summit
- 1991 Best Traditional Blues Recording, Live at the Apollo
- 1990 Best Traditional Blues Recording, Live at San Quentin
- 1985 Best Traditional Blues Recording, My Guitar Sings the Blues, a track from Six Silver Strings
- 1983 Best Traditional Blues Recording, Blues & Jazz
- 1981 Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording, There Must Be A Better World Somewhere
- 1970 Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance, Male, "The Thrill Is Gone"
- B.B. King has been nominated for 20 Grammy Awards through 1999. In 1970, King's Indianola Mississippi Seeds won a Grammy Award for Best Album Cover, an art director's award. 1969's "The Thrill Is Gone" was installed in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.
- Halls Of Fame
- 1999 N.A.A.C.P. Image Awards Hall of Fame
- 1995 Performance Magazine touring Hall of Fame
- 1987 Rock & and Roll Hall of Fame
- 1980 Blues Foundation Hall of Fame
- Lifetime Achievement Awards
- 2001 Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)
- 1998 MOBO Awards (London) Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1997 The Blues Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1991 The Orville H. Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award (Gibson Guitar)
- 1990 Songwriters' Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1987 Grammy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award
- Humanitarian Awards
- 1973 B'Nai Brith Humanitarian Award, Music and Performance Lodge of New York
- Walks Of Fame
- Downbeat
- 1999 Blues Artist of the Year (International Critics Poll)
- 1999 Blues Group (International Critics Poll)
- 1997 Blues Artist of the Year (International Critics Poll)
- 1996 Blues Artist of the Year (International Critics Guide)
- 1996 Blues/Soul/Rhythm and Blues Group (Readers Poll)
- 1995 Blues Group (International Critics Poll)
- 1994 Blues Album of the Year (Blues Summit) (International Critics Poll)
- 1994 Blues Artist of the Year (International Critics Poll)
- 1994 Blues Group (International Critics Poll)
- 1994 Blues/Soul/R & B Album of the Year (Blues Summit) (Readers Poll)
- 1994 Blues/Soul/R & B Musician of the Year (Readers Poll)
- 1994 Blues/Soul/R & B Group of the Year (Readers Poll)
- 1993 Blues Artist of the Year (International Critics Poll)
- 1993 Blues Group (International Critics Poll)
- 1993 Blues/Soul/R & B Musician of the Year (Readers Poll)
- 1993 Blues/Soul/R & B Group (Readers Poll)
- 1992 Blues Group (International Critics Poll)
- 1992 Blues Artist of the Year (International Critics Poll)
- 1991 Blues Artist of the Year (International Critics Poll)
- 1991 Blues/Soul/R & B Musician of the Year (Readers Poll)
- 1990 Blues/Soul/R & B Musician of the Year (Readers Poll)
- 1975 Best Rock/Pop/Blues Group (International Critics Poll)
- 1974 Best Rock/Pop/Blues Group (International Critics Poll)
- 1973 Best Rock/Pop/Blues Group (International Critics Poll)
- 1972 Best Rock/Pop/Blues Group (International Critics Poll)
- 1971 Best Rock/Pop/Blues Group (International Critics Poll)
- 1970 Best Rock/Pop/Blues Group (International Critics Poll)
- Ebony
- 1975 Best Blues Album, To Know You Is To Love You
- 1975 Best Blues Instrumentalist
- 1975 Best Male Blues Singer
- 1974 Best Blues Album, Live at the Regal
- 1974 Best Blues Instrumentalist
- 1974 Best Male Blues Singer
- 1974 Blues Hall of Fame
- Orville M. Gibson Guitar Award
- 1997 Best Blues Guitarist - Male
- 1996 Best Blues Guitarist - Male
- Living Blues Magazine Reader's Awards
- 1997 Most Outstanding Blues Singer
- 1996 Most Outstanding Blues Singer
- 1994 Most Outstanding Blues Singer
- 1993 Most Outstanding Blues Singer
- Living Blues Magazine Critic's Poll
- 1996 Most Outstanding Blues Singer (Tied with Little Milton)
- 1994 Blues Artist of the Year
- 1993 Best Cover Art Photo (B.B. King of the Blues)
- Guitar Player Magazine (retired after 5 wins)
- 1974 Blues Guitarist of the Year
- 1973 Blues Guitarist of the Year
- 1972 Blues Guitarist of the Year
- 1971 Blues Guitarist of the Year
- 1970 Blues Guitarist of the Year
- Performance Magazine Readers Poll
- 1988 Blues Act of the Year
- 1987 Blues Act of the Year
- 1985 Blues Act of the Year
- Melody Maker
- 1973 Best Blues Artist of the Year (World Section)
- Blues Unlimited
- 1973 Best Blues Guitarist
- Jazz & Pop
- 1968 Best Male Jazz Singer of the Year
- TV Appearances
- Film Appearances
- TV Commercials
- Radio Commercials
- Instructional Videos
- B.B. King Blues Master I
- B.B. King Blues Master II
- B.B. King Blues Master III
- Country and Blues Harmonica for the Absolute Beginner
- Autobiography
- 1996 Blues All Around Me by B.B. King with David Ritz (Avon)
- Biography
- 1980 The Arrival of B.B. King: the Authorized Biography by Charles Sawyer (Doubleday)
- Videography
- Pavarotti & Friends (1999)
- A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan (1997)
- B.B. King and Friends - A Night of Red Hot Blues
- Blues Summit Concert (1995)
- Live at Nicks (1983)
- Live at the Apollo (1992)
- Live from Atlantic City (1990)
- Live in Africa
- Bluesmasters - The Essential History of the Blues, Vol. 2
- Bluesland
- International Blues Festival (1975)
- James Brown and His Very Special Guest B.B. King (1983)
- Rhythm Country & Blues
- Yackety Yack, Take It Back
- Blues Music Festival Tours
- 1992 B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Dr. John and The Fabulous Thunderbirds
- 1993 B.B. King, Eric Johnson, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells/Lonnie Brooks/Koko Taylor
- 1994 B.B. King, Little Feat, Dr. John and Tribute to Muddy Waters
- 1995 B.B. King, Jimmie Vaughan, Etta James and Blues Time (J. Geils, Magic Dick, Elvin Bishop)
- 1996 B.B. King, The Neville Brothers, Delbert McClinton, Taj Mahal, Kenny Wayne Sheppard
- 1997 B.B. King, Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan, Tower of Power, Blues Time (J. Geils, Magic Dick), Jonny Lang
- 1998 B.B. King, Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Storyville, Susan Tedeschi
- 1999 B.B. King, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Tower of Power, Indigenous, J. Geils, Jimmie Vaughan, Robert Cray
- 2000 B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Susan Tedeschi, Tommy Castro, Corey Harris
- Special Appearances
- 2000 National Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the White House (PBS)
- 1999 Free New Year's Eve Millennium Concert Beale Street, Memphis
- 1999 Liberty Bowl Half Time Performance (Memphis)
- 1999 Concert of the Century at the White House (VH1)
- 1999 Blues In Performance at the White House (PBS-TV)
- 1999 Pavorotti & Friends Benefit for War Child
- 1998 Named Official Ambassador of Music at the World Expo '98 in Lisbon, Portugal
- 1997 Vatican Christmas Concert
- 1996 B.B. King Performs at Closing Ceremonies of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA
- 1996 B.B. King Entertains U.S. Military Troops in Bosnia
- B.B. King With Various Artists
- B.B. King Duets
- Soundtrack Albums
- Children's Music
- John Henry (1994)
- Rainy Day Blues (1993)
- Ralph J. Gleason Music Book Awards
- 1996 Second Prize for Blues All Around Me: The Autobiography of B.B. King by B.B. King and David Ritz
- B.B. King Blues Clubs