B.B. King, a American Hall of Fame blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential blues guitarists of all time, inspiring countless other electric blues and blues rock guitarists. He died on May 14, 2015, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
B.B. King became one of the most important names in R&B music in the 1950s, amassing an impressive list of hits including You Know I Love You, Woke Up This Morning, Please Love Me, When My Heart Beats like a Hammer, Whole Lotta Love, You Upset Me Baby, Every Day I Have the Blues, Sneakin’ Around, Ten Long Years, Bad Luck, Sweet Little Angel, On My Word of Honor, and Please Accept My Love. 1956 became a record-breaking year, with 342 concerts booked and three recording sessions.
B.B. King – Live in Dallas (1983)
King gained further visibility among rock audiences as an opening act on the Rolling Stones’ 1969 American Tour. He won a 1970 Grammy Award for the song The Thrill Is Gone his version became a hit on both the pop and R&B charts. It also gained the number 183 spot in Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The Thrill Is Gone (Live at Montreux 1993)