Happy Birthday, B.B. King!

Today is B.B. King’s 83rd birthday! He was born Riley B. King on September 16, 1925 and was named the third-greatest guitarist of all-time by Rolling Stone magazine. He received the 1987 Lifetime Achievement Grammy and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Several of B.B.’s early recordings were produced by Sam Phillips, who later founded Sun Records in Memphis, TN. King was also a disc jockey in Memphis, where he got the nickname “Beale Street Blues Boy,” which was then shortened to “B. B.” Since the 1950s, B.B. has been one of the most important names in Blues and R&B music, with a long list of hits which include:

The Thrill is Gone (His biggest hit, 1969)

How Blue Can You Get

You Know I Love You

Sweet Little Angel

Click here to find out why B.B. named his guitar Lucille.

Album Recommendations:

Live At The Apollo

Live At The Regal