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Memphis, Tennessee
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Before becoming a legendary blues musician, B.B. King worked as a disc jockey at WDIA, a Memphis radio station, where he was known as the 'Beale Street Blues Boy.'
B.B. King named his guitar 'Lucille' after a woman who was the cause of a fight that led to a fire in a club where he was performing; he ran back into the burning building to save his guitar.
B.B. King opened the B.B. King's Blues Club on Beale Street in Memphis, which remains a popular venue for live blues music.
In 2006, B.B. King received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States, for his contributions to music.
Throughout his career, B.B. King recorded more than 50 albums, many of which are considered classics in the blues genre.
B.B. King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, recognizing his influence on the genre and his legendary status as a blues musician.
At the height of his career, B.B. King was known for his relentless touring schedule, performing over 200 concerts annually well into his 70s.
B.B. King was born on a cotton plantation in Itta Bena, Mississippi, and his early life experiences deeply influenced his music.
