Great blues singer-guitarist who has appeared in a number of films since 1971.
B.B. King
Active - 1971 - 2021 |
Born - Sep 16, 1925 in Itta Bena, Mississippi, United States |
Died - May 14, 2015 |
Genres - Music, Comedy, Historical Film
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- Began his career in music as a disc jockey in Memphis after hitch-hiking to the city from Mississippi.
- Released more than 50 blues albums, beginning with his debut studio release Singin' the Blues in 1956.
- Inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
- Was diagnosed with Type II diabetes in 1990 and has since become a spokesperson for diabetes research and fundraising.
- Awarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush on December 15, 2006.
- Earned honorary Doctorate in Music degrees from numerous schools, including Yale University, Tougaloo College, Berklee College of Music, Rhodes College of Memphis, Mississippi Valley State University, and Brown University.
- The B.B. King Museum in Indianola, Mississippi opened in 2008 to honor King and his contemporary Delta blues musicians.