Monday Blues Spotlight - B.B. King

 

(Wikipedia)

"The King of the Blues"

September 16, 1925 - May 14, 2015

In this edition of Monday Blues, there is no one more fitting in the genre than the king of the blues - B.B. King.

"...influenced many later blues electric guitar players..."

"...one of the most influential blues musicians of all time..."

(Wikipedia)

Wikipedia - Early Life

Wikipedia - 1949 - 2005

- Success -

"3 O'Clock Blues" - No. 1 on Billboard Rhythm and Blues

1950s hits - "You Know I Love You," "Every Day I Have the Blues," "Sweet Little Angel," and many more

Played at major venues in the 1950s, such as the Howard Theater (Washington, D.C.) and the Apollo in New York

1956 - 342 concerts ... 3 recording sessions 

Live at the Regal (November 1964) ... Regal Theater (Chicago, IL)

(Wikipedia)

- Noteworthy in the rock genre -

Opening act on the Rolling Stones' 1969 American Tour

- Reaching a new generation -

"When Love Comes to Town" (1988)

Collaboration with U2 on the band's Rattle and Hum  album

B.B. King and Eric Clapton worked on the 2000 album, Riding With the King (Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album)

(Wikipedia)

- Discography -

Records from 1956 to 2008

First album - Singin' the Blues (1956)

Last album - One Kind Favor (2008)

- Honors - 

- Grammy Award for "The Thrill Is Gone" rendition (1970)

- "The Thrill Is Gone" positioned on the Pop and R&B charts

- No. 183 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time

- Polar Music Prize (2004)

- No. 6 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time (2011)

- 6 Grammy nominations ... 15 Grammy Awards

(Wikipedia)

- Honors -

Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Tougaloo College (1973)

Honorary Doctorate of Music from Yale University (1977)

Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music (1985)

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1987)

National Medal of Arts (1990)

National Heritage Fellowship from the NEA 

(National Endowment for the Arts, 1991)

Kennedy Center Honors (1995)

Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement (2004)

Honorary Doctorate in Music from Brown University (2007)

No. 3 on Time magazine's 2009 10 Best Electric Guitarists

(Wikipedia)

- Hall of Fame -

Blues Hall of Fame (1980)

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1987)

Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame (2008)

National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame (2014)

(Wikipedia)

Point of interest -

In 2006, B.B. King went on a farewell world tour.  However, he continued to play live until 2014.

Play it, B.B. King

(Wikipedia)

"Sweet Home Chicago"

(Wikipedia)

Presidential Medal of Freedom

Presented by George W. Bush

B.B. King's Lucille