Blues Legend B.B. King Dies at 89

Updated:

May 18, 2015 8:58 am

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B.B._King_in_2009 — B.B King, in 2009. Photo by Tom Beetz via Wikipedia. Reproduced under the Creative Commons License.

Blues guitarist B.B. King, known as the “King of the Blues,” passed away in his sleep Thursday evening at his home in Las Vegas. He was 89. The news came weeks after King’s daughter announced that he was in home hospice care after suffering from dehydration.

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Over the course of a career that lasted nearly 70 years, King, alongside his beloved guitar Lucille, collaborated with musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, U2 and Buddy Guy and influenced countless more. The guitarist received 15 career Grammy awards, including the award for best blues album for his final album, 2008’s One Kind Favor, and is a member of both the Rock and Roll and Blues Hall of Fames.

“He was a beacon for all of us who play this kind of music,” said Eric Clapton in a You Tube message.