Legendary blues singer, songwriter and guitarist B.B. King died late Thursday evening at his home in Las Vegas. He was 89 years old.
For decades, King was one of the biggest stars of black radio. The definitive bluesman released 75 hit R&B singles between 1951 and 1992 and won 15 Grammys throughout his career. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
While we mourn the loss of B.B. King, we take a look back at some of his most memorable hits.
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“Three O’Clock Blues”
Though the song is a cover of a Lowell Fulson song, “Three O’Clock Blues” became B.B. King’s first big hit back in 1951. The song topped the R&B charts for five consecutive weeks.
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“Every Day I Have The Blues”
In the seventies, B.B. King would open every concert with his own rendition of “Every Day I Have the Blues”. The song became his signature track, earning the nickname “The King of the Blues”.
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“When Love Comes To Town” (With U2)
Several of B.B. King’s most-loved songs were actually collaborations with other artists later in his career. One of the most memorable? “When Love Comes To Town” with Irish rock band U2.
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“The Thrill Is Gone”
“The Thrill Is Gone” was one of B.B. King’s biggest pop hits. The 1970s crossover hit is arguably the one track that everyone knows. King’s drastically reworked version of Roy Hawkins’ 1951 recording portrayed his legendary guitar work and vocal melody.
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“Lucille”
B.B. King toured for more than 60 years with his black Gibson guitars, which he famously named Lucille. The legend behind the name? King was playing at an Arkansas dance hall early in his career when two men got into a fight, which started a fire. When King was safe outside the burning building, he realized he’d left his $30 guitar inside and ran back inside to save it. When he learned the fight had been over a woman named Lucille, he decided to name his guitar Lucille as a reminder never to get into a fight over a woman.
