Blues legend B.B. King has made his way home. The 89 year-old blues icon and touring machine had suffered complications from his Type 2 diabetes, which in recent years has caused him to reduce his tour schedule from a record-setting 300+ shows a year to roughly 100 annually – which remains a high achievement for most other musicians.
Attorney Brent Bryson informed The Associated Press that King died peacefully in his sleep at 9:40 p.m. PDT Thursday at his home in Las Vegas.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame cornerstone was widely considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time. On his way to 15 Grammys, he influenced a generation of musicians with his earnest vocals and soaring guitar on songs such as “The Thrill Is Gone”.
He sold millions of records worldwide and was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame as well as the Rock Hall. But his true value was perhaps as a mentor to scores of high-achieving guitarists, including Eric Clapton.
King’s legendary Gibson guitar, famously named Lucille, was featured in songs like “Every Day I Have the Blues” to “When Love Comes to Town.”
In addition to his incredible guitar abilities, King has always had a guru lean to his persona, as evidenced in a 2009 autobiography and numerous candid interviews throughout his life – up until his last hospitalization in April of this year.
