RIP B.B. King, the King of Blues (1925-2015)
When a giant passes, it may catch everyone by surprise. In the case of Blues legend B.B King, his legacy and influence was so omnipresent it’s as if we thought he might live forever. With over 50 LPs under his belt, one might consider him the James Brown of the Blues because of his work ethic, global recognition, humble beginnings but most importatnly because he is synonmous with the music style he help build…he IS the blues.
The King of Blues had it all, his voice provided a unique and unmatched warmth to complement the guttural raspiness usually associated with the blues, his guitar skills were unmatched and he invented a form of soloing that was as limpid as the Mississippi stream. Born on a cotton plantation, he lived through all of the Blues history from its inception, through the chitlin circuit, into the mainstream festival era and BB was a headliner and innovator in all those eras. From making women faint with his suggestive lyrics and stage presence to rocking huge crowds with eletric guitar solos the man never stopped performing and wherever he may now be he has left a definitive and universal Blues legacy.
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