B.B. King

*Riley B. King* (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as **B.B. King**, was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Introducing a sophisticated style of soloing, he melded fluid string bending, shimmering vibrato, and staccato picking, thereby significantly influencing many later blues electric guitar players. AllMusic recognizes King as **"the single most important electric guitarist of the last half of the 20th century"**. King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, being one of the most influential blues musicians of all time. Fondly called *"The King of the Blues"*, he ranks high in the league of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" alongside Albert King and Freddie King, who were not related. Performing tirelessly, King had a staggering performance rate of more than 200 concerts per year into his 70s. In 1956 alone, he appeared at 342 shows. Coming from humble beginnings, he was born on a cotton plantation of Berclair, near the city of Itta Bena, Mississippi, and later worked at a cotton gin in Indianola, Mississippi. He taught himself to play guitar and began his career in juke joints and local radio. As his fame grew, he went on to tour the world extensively.