Search - B.B. King :: Complete Recordings 1949-1962

B.B. King, known as The King of the Blues, and indeed one of the Three Kings of Blues Guitar (along with namesakes Albert and Freddie) was amongst the finest guitarists and vocalists to ever grace the genre. He has featured in Rolling Stone's 100 and Gibson's 50 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, reaching 6 and 17 respectively. Following his first Billboard Rhythm and Blues chart number one 'Three O'Clock Blues' in February 1952, King's career went from strength to strength, helped in no small part by the impressive number of hits he released during the rest of the decade and his extensive touring, which in 1956 reached a record-breaking 342 shows in a single year. In 1962 he recorded Live at the Regal, which is widely considered one of history's greatest blues albums, and one selected for permanent preservation in the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. He received exposure to a rock audience after touring with the Rolling Stones in 1969, and was awarded a Grammy for his 1970 recording of 'The Thrill Is Gone'. King was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Official Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2014. B.B. King remained active throughout the rest of his life, recording regularly and often still playing in excess of 300 gigs a year. In 1997 he performed at the Vatican's fifth annual Christmas concert, presenting Lucille to Pope John Paul II. In 2000, he recorded Riding with the King with Eric Clapton, which would go on to receive the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album. King embarked on a farewell tour with Gary Moore in 2006, only to continue working for another decade, famously performing a duet with President Obama at the White House in 2012. Although B.B. had suffered from diabetes for over 20 years, it was only recently that his health began to fail, which forced him to cancel a number of shows in 2014. On 14th May 2015, he sadly passed away at the age of 89.