King didn’t like to sing and play at the same time, so he developed a call-and-response between him and Lucille.
#B b king king of the blues full
The result could bring chills to an audience, no more so than when King used it to full effect on his signature song, “The Thrill is Gone.” He would make his guitar shout and cry in anguish as he told the tale of forsaken love, then end with a guttural shouting of the final lines: “Now that it’s all over, all I can do is wish you well.” King played a Gibson guitar he affectionately called Lucille with a style that included beautifully crafted single-string runs punctuated by loud chords, subtle vibratos and bent notes. He recorded more than 50 albums and toured the world into his 80s, often performing 250 or more concerts a year. King was not only the undisputed king of the blues but a mentor to scores of guitarists, who included Eric Clapton, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, John Mayall and Keith Richards. He had been in hospice care at his Las Vegas home.įor most of a career spanning nearly 70 years, Riley B. He collapsed during a concert in Chicago last October, later blaming dehydration and exhaustion. King’s eldest surviving daughter Shirley King of the Chicago area said she was upset that she didn’t have a chance to see her father before he died.Īlthough he had continued to perform well into his 80s, the 15-time Grammy winner suffered from diabetes and had been in declining health during the past year. He said funeral arrangements were underway.Ĭlark County Coroner John Fudenberg confirmed the death. His attorney, Brent Bryson, told The Associated Press that King died peacefully in his sleep at 9:40 p.m. King, whose scorching guitar licks and heartfelt vocals made him the idol of generations of musicians and fans while earning him the nickname King of the Blues, died late Thursday at home in Las Vegas.
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