B.B. King
1925 – 2015
Known for: The King of the Blues
“His blues guitar spoke the language of the soul.”
Biography
Riley B. King was born in 1925 in Mississippi, the heart of American blues country, and would become the undisputed sovereign of electric blues. His instrument-a beloved Gibson ES-335 he named Lucille-became an extension of his voice, speaking in liquid bends and shimmering vibrations that seemed to capture human emotion itself. King's revolutionary technique transformed the blues guitar from a percussive rhythm instrument into something capable of lyrical, almost vocal expression. His staccato picking and fluid string work created a vocabulary that would echo through generations of musicians who followed in his footsteps, learning the language he had so eloquently invented.
For more than six decades, B.B. King carried his message of blues across the world, performing with tireless devotion and infectious warmth that made audiences feel truly seen. From modest Mississippi clubs to the grandest concert halls, he remained a humble teacher as much as an iconic performer, his guitar singing stories of joy and sorrow with equal grace. When he passed in 2015, the music world mourned not merely an artist but a living bridge to the soul of American music-the king who had crowned himself through nothing but authenticity, skill, and an unshakeable belief in the power of the blues to heal and transform.