B.B. King

1. B.B. King “King of The Blues” Katerina DeVore Adrienne Walton

2. The Beginning • Born September 16,1925 in Itta Bene, Mississippi to a farming couple. • Was named Riley B. King after his uncle. • His mother and father divorced when he was 4 years old. • His mother died when he was 9. He then lived with his grandmother. • He attended the Holiness Church where he had his 1st true musical influence. • He was part of the group “The Famous St. John’s Gospel Singers”. • He worked as a sharecropper and tractor driver. • Married in 1944 to avoid the military draft. • In 1947 he hitchhiked to Memphis to pursue his musical career. • Three O‘ Clock Blues

3. A Young Musician • Stayed with his cousin Bukka White who further schooled B.B. on the blues. • He lived in Memphis and played gospel and blues songs on the corner for tips. • B.B. had steady engagements at the 16th Avenue Grill.

4. Lucille • His most identifiable trademark is his guitar, “Lucille” having been with him since 1949. • In her current form she is a Gibson ES-355 which he has played for 25 years. Lucille told by B.B. King Spotlight on Lucille

5. Influences • 1st true musical influence B.B. had was a preacher by the name of Archie Fair. • Archie taught B.B. the E,A, and B chords. • Bukka White, B.B.’ s older cousin was a major influence on him. • Bukka taught B.B. everything from how to hold a guitar, to how to put together lyrics. Most importantly Bukka taught him how to be a true bluesman. • Some of the musicians B.B. listened to at a early age are: jazz musicians Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt, and a blues musician T-Bone Walker.

6. 1st Big Break • B.B. performed on the radio show of his friend Sonny Boy Williamson. • Once Sonny Boy realized how good B.B. was, he asked him to play at one of his gigs at a saloon. • B.B. then got a job at the radio station where he would have a 10 minute spot to play anything he wanted as long as he advertised for one of the stations sponsors. • Known as the “Beale Street Blues Boy” he changed it to “Blues Boy King” and finally it was shortened to “B.B. King”.

7. A Seasoned Musician • “ Blues to me is many things, it has to do with people, places and things. And the way of life that we lived in the past, we are living today, and the way I believe we will live tomorrow. It tells you about the world as well; it tells you about yourself as well as the ones you love.” • Lyrically B.B. has a combination of humor and honesty. • “When I sing, I play in my mind; the minute I stop singing orally, I start to sing by playing Lucille.”

8. 4 Honorary Doctorates 7 W.C. Handy Awards 4 N.A.A.C.P. Image Awards 9 Grammy Awards 27 Downbeat Awards “The Thrill Is Gone” “How Blue Can You Get” “Sweet Little Angel” “It Costs to Be The Boss” “Three O’Clock Blues” “ When Love Comes To Town” “You Don’t Know Me” Awards & Accomplishments Top Hits You Don't Know Me

9. Eric Clapton David Glamour Buddy Guy George Harrison Jeff Beck Mike Bloomfield U2 Jimi Hendrix Prince Albert King Stevie Ray Vaughn Albert Collins Chuck Berry Bo Didley People Influenced by B.B. King The Thrill

10. References • http://biografieonline.it/music.htm?name=B.B.King • www.cr.nps.gov/delta/blues/people.bb_king.html • www.kenmeyerjr.com/music/b.b.king.html • www.sweelee.com.sg/html/MusicalInstruments/Guitars/Electric_Guitars.htm • http://www.worldblues.com/prarie/lucille.html • http://www.worldblues.com/prarie/begin.html • http://www.cyberpenguin.net.penguin/king.htm • http://www.bbking.com/about/features.asp

11. Questions • Who was B.B. ‘s 1st true musical influence? • Bukka White • T-Bone Walker • Archie Fair • 2. How long did B.B. ‘s 1st hit stay at number 1? • 15 weeks • 13 weeks • 12 weeks3 • 3. How did B.B. get his 1st big break? • By playing in a saloon • By performing on street corners • By playing on a radio show. Spotlight on Lucille