Written on May 15, 2015

B.B. King, the King of the Blues, has died. The legendary blues musician was 89 years old.

After suffering from diabetes for over two decades, the blues legend who inspired and influenced countless musicians, finally succumbed to the great, long sleep of death in his own bed in Las Vegas Thursday night.

“Before the Army, I was a spiritual singer,” he said in the 1972 BBC Documentary “Sounding Out”. “But when I went in the Army, I started singing the blues.”

Raised by his grandmother, B.B. would travel to Memphis with his cousin and perform on local radio shows, where he eventually got the nickname “Beale Street Blues Boy” – Beale Street being the historic street in Memphis where the Blues were born. He would also discover the electric guitar in Memphis through T. Bone Walker, a major pioneer in the electric blues sound King would ultimately become known for. 

By 1949, King had a contract with RPM Records based in LA, and the hits just rolled on out. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and the Official R&B Music Hall of Fame just last year. 

In 2001, King told the Guardian, “When I do eventually drop, I pray to God that it'll happen in one of three ways. Firstly, on stage or leaving the stage, then secondly in my sleep. And the third way? You'll have to figure that out for yourself...!”

Sweet dreams, B.B. RIP.