B.B. King Dies at Age 89

Riley B. King or as we know him, B.B. King, died Thursday night.

His daughter, Patty King, said he died in Las Vegas, where he announced two weeks ago that he was in home hospice care after suffering from dehydration.

He had 30 Grammy nominations and 15 wins. He won his 1st for his trademark song, The Thrill is Gone in 1970. He debuted an all blues show at Carnegie Hall and appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show that same year.

My favorite song by him was his duet with Eric Clapton called, Riding with the King. I wore that song out on the jukebox wherever I found it. He also won a Grammy for Best Traditional Blue Album for Riding with the King.

Many know that his guitar was named 'Lucille'. Most don't know why, well now you do.

In the 50's, King was performing at a dance in Arkansas, when a few fans became unruly and started a fire. King ran out, forgetting his guitar, and risked his life to go back and get it.

He later found out that 2 men fighting over a woman named Lucille knocked over a kerosene heater that started the fire. He named the guitar Lucille, "to remind myself never to do anything that foolish."

He inspired many of today's guitarists. B.B. King was 89.