Feature: B.B. King
This article is part of a series about historically iconic Black artists and creatives. This series was started with the intention of shedding light on the importance of Black artists in all aspects of the creative sphere, but, especially, to note that many of them spearheaded some of the most influential trends and art forms of our time with little recognition. Stay tuned for more additions as they are published!
By Kylie Warrix
The first time I had ever heard of B.B. King was when I was very young. My dad has been a fan of his for years, and one memory he always loves to think back on is when he got to shake his hand at a show.
PC: Mark Knopfler
“I pushed through so many people to get to the very front, and there he was! Right in front of me,” he says. “The King!”
B.B. King, born Riley B. King, is recognized as the King of Blues. Throughout his career, he played around 250 shows per year, and his drive never once dwindled. Each and every gig he played was special and different from the last. Concert-goers would be in awe of the talent before them, and they could not get enough of what they were hearing.
Music was always a massive part of King’s life. A kid who felt inspired by the way his pastor played guitar then grew up to become a disc jockey known as “The Beale Street Blues Boy” after his service in the U.S. Army. In 1948, the ball started rolling when one of King’s songs made it onto Sonny Boy Willamson’s radio show, and the demand for more was huge. Abbreviating his disc jockey name to “B.B.,” he began recording music in 1949, thus marking the beginning of his incredible career.
His debut album, Singin’ the Blues, came out in 1957. Compiled of songs released from 1951-1956, this record was made up of fan-favorite tracks and had four #1 R&B hits. This was just the start of King’s reign, and throughout his life, he put out over 50 albums. His collection includes both studio and live recordings, and many of his records became instant classics.
Although his music career was off to a booming start, touring during the age of segregation was an unavoidable obstacle. “The very first part of [touring], I had no transportation. I used to have to thumb or take the Greyhound bus,” he once stated. If he made it to a town past midnight and needed food, he would have to sneak towards the back of white-only cafes and ask for some due to curfews set in place for Black people.
As a child, he was exposed to extreme accounts of racism. One of his teachers positively shaped his younger years, though, by educating him on important Black figures that changed the world despite it being against them. This inspired him to pursue what he loved doing most, and he made sure to always hold onto his unshakeable determination and hope.
King’s collection of Black Gibson ES-355’s, each known as “Lucille,” is one of his most iconic trademarks. Lucille was born after he played at a nightclub in Twist, Arkansas. Two men began fighting over a woman, causing the nightclub’s kerosene-fueled heat source to topple over and set the building on fire. King rushed back in to save his guitar, and after finding out the woman’s name was Lucille, he passed the name down to his beloved guitar as a reminder to never do anything as reckless as those men did. Lucille was a massive part of his career, and they were inseparable. He even released a song and album named “Lucille” in 1968, and the title-track reveals his deepest thoughts about his pride and joy.
King is also known for his unique six-note scale known as “The B.B. Box.” This scale is one he frequented and is what helped shape his distinctive sound (and for all you guitarists out there, it’s one that will definitely switch things up when you need inspiration!).
B.B. King accomplished a multitude of awards and honors during his career. He was nominated for 30 Grammy’s and took home a total of 15 wins, one of them being the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987. Also in 1987, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, just three years after his induction into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame. Furthermore, both the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Kennedy Center Honors were given to the blues legend later on in his career.
Many artists have been influenced by King, and the list includes big names like The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and U2. His craftsmanship introduced new techniques to the music world, and his bold sound has always been attempted by other musicians. Although he passed away in 2015, his reign still prevails. B.B. King made an incredible, game-changing impact on music that will never be forgotten—he is the King of Blues, after all.