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BB King

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SB.B. King is widely recognized as the reigning king of electric blues. With a guitar style all his own, BB King (born Riley B. King in 1925) began naming his guitars "Lucille" in the 1950s.

At an early age, B.B. King developed a love for blues guitarists like T-Bone Walker and Lonnie Johnson and jazz artists like Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt.

In 1946, B.B. King moved to Memphis, Tennessee, sharpening his guitar technique with the help of his cousin, the great Bukka White.

Eventually, King began broadcasting his music live on Memphis radio station WDIA. On the air, King started out using the name The Pepticon Boy, which later became the Beale Street Blues Boy. The name was then shortened to just Blues Boy and, eventually, just B.B.

In the 1950s, BB King releasing a string of hits; "You Know I Love You," "Woke Up This Morning," "Please Love Me," "When My Heart Beats like a Hammer," "Whole Lotta' Love," "You Upset Me Baby," "Every Day I Have the Blues," "Sneakin' Around," "Ten Long Years," "Bad Luck," "Sweet Little Angel," "On My Word of Honor," and "Please Accept My Love."

In November of 1964, BB recorded his legendary Live at the Regal at the Regal Theater in Chicago, Illinois.

BB King's first success outside of the blues market came in 1969, with the release of "The Thrill Is Gone." The song found success on both the pop and R&B charts. BB's mainstream success continued throughout the 1970s with songs like "To Know You Is to Love You" and "I Like to Live the Love."

Incredibly, between 1951 and 1985, King appeared on Billboard's R&B charts 74 times.

B.B King attained a new level of success in 1988, that of pop star, when he was featured on U2's hit single "When Love Comes To Town."

Riding With the King, recorded with Eric Clapton (and released under Clapton's name) hit stores and yet another generation of fans in 2000.

B.B. King becomes a grandfatherly jamband icon. In 2003, the jamband Phish invited B.B. King to play live with them.

In 2006, at the renowned Montreux Jazz Festival, B. B. King jammed with Joe Sample, Randy Crawford, David Sanborn, Gladys Knight, Stanley Clarke, John McLaughlin, George Duke and others.

A year later, in 2007, B. B. King performed with 20 other guitar gods at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival.