B.B. King
Biography
B.B. King was a Mississippi-born blues guitarist, singer and songwriter who taught himself to play and began his career in Delta juke joints and on local radio. He later moved to Memphis, where he sang and spun records at station WDIA and picked up the nickname that became his stage name. His 1952 hit 3 O'Clock Blues made him a leading figure in rhythm and blues, and he went on to record Live at the Regal in 1964 and to win a Grammy in 1970 for The Thrill Is Gone. In 1987 he entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 1980 the Blues Hall of Fame. His 1988 single with U2, When Love Comes to Town, came from the album Rattle and Hum (1988), he had a part in Blues Brothers 2000 (1998), and his 2000 album with Eric Clapton, Riding With the King, earned a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album.
89years old at death
- Born Berclair
- Died Las Vegas
- Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
- Riley Ben King (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 6
- Career span
- 32 years1985 to 2017
Genres
- Documentary83%, 5 films
- Music50%, 3 films
- Action17%, 1 film
- Biography17%, 1 film
- Comedy17%, 1 film
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About the name
During a show in Twist, Arkansas, a fight between two men started a fire. King ran back into the building to get his guitar, and later learned the men had been fighting over a woman named Lucille, so he named the guitar Lucille.
About the name
At WDIA, King was a singer and disc jockey. There he got the nickname "Beale Street Blues Boy," which was shortened to "Blues Boy" and then to "B. B."
Early training
King was a self-taught guitarist who learned his first three chords from a local minister who played a Sears Roebuck Silvertone during services.
A first
For King, 1956 turned out to be a record-breaking year, since he booked 342 concerts and also had three recording sessions during that time.
B.B. King movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Five actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Paul McCartney's page
Eric Clapton's page
Bob Dylan's page
James Brown's page
Aretha Franklin's page
Awards
Twelve awards and honors from 1987 to 2015, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grammy Awards | |||
| 1987 | Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 2015 | Americana Music Association President's Award | Won | |
| 2006 | Presidential Medal of Freedom | Won | |
| 2005 | Library of Congress Living Legend | Won | |
| 1994 | Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres‎ | Won | |
| 1987 | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | Won | |
| Blues Hall of Fame | Won | ||
| Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences | Won | ||
| Kennedy Center Honors | Won | ||
| Maple Blues Awards | Won | ||
| National Medal of Arts | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.