B.B. King : NPR

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Music

In Memoriam 2015

December 30, 2015 • NPR Music remembers musicians — singers, songwriters, instrumentalists — and other visionaries we lost in 2015. Explore and celebrate their musical legacies.

In Memoriam 2015

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B.B. King On Life, Plantation Living And His 'Droopy-Drawers' Sound

B.B King in 1996. David Redfern/Redferns hide caption

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Music Interviews

B.B. King On Life, Plantation Living And His 'Droopy-Drawers' Sound

Fresh Air

May 15, 2015 • "I developed in my head that I'm never any better than my last concert or the last time I played," B.B. King told Fresh Air's Terry Gross in 1996.

B.B. King On Life, Plantation Living And His 'Droopy-Drawers' Sound

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B.B. King performs at the Newport Jazz Festival at Yankee Stadium in 1972 (the festival temporarily relocated to New York in the 1970s). David Redfern/Getty Images hide caption

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The Record

B.B. King And The Majesty Of The Blues

May 16, 2015 • The legendary blues guitarist and singer, who died on Thursday, was the most recognizable and accessible icon of a sound that was in flux.

Review

Music Reviews

B.B. King Offers 'One Kind Favor'

Fresh Air

October 21, 2008 • Widely regarded as one of the best guitarists of all time, blues legend B.B. King is still recording at age 82. Music critic Milo Miles reviews King's newest album, One Kind Favor.

B.B. King Offers 'One Kind Favor'

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Music Interviews

B.B. King On Life And The Blues

Fresh Air

September 12, 2008 • Blues legend B.B. King's 60-year career has included a string of hits, including You Know I Love You, Bad Luck and The Thrill Is Gone. He has received many awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Grammy and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

B.B. King On Life And The Blues

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Music Interviews

A Birthday for the King of the Blues

Fresh Air

September 23, 2005 • Blues singer and guitarist B.B. King celebrated his 80th birthday on Sept. 16, 2005, and also released the new album 80, featuring blues duets with musicians including Elton John and Eric Clapton. This interview originally aired on Oct. 22, 1996.

A Birthday for the King of the Blues

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Music Interviews

The Thrill Is Strong for 80-Year-Old B.B. King

September 22, 2005 • B.B. King's loved ones gathered at a Southern California home recently to celebrate his 80th birthday with a backyard concert featuring performances from some of his closest friends.

The Thrill Is Strong for 80-Year-Old B.B. King

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Music News

Building a Museum for B.B. King

June 11, 2005 • Indianola, Miss., will be home to a $10 million museum honoring the life and work of bluesman B.B. King. The Grammy-award winning guitar player turns 80 in September and still performs regularly. He helped break ground on the project Friday.

Building a Museum for B.B. King

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Music News

Rock historian Ed Ward

Fresh Air

August 16, 2001 • Rock historian Ed Ward remembers Beale street 1952 the place in Memphis that launched the careers of Ike Turner, Rosco Gordon, Bobby Bland, Little Junior Parker, and B.B. King.

Rock historian Ed Ward

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B.B. King's Endless Blues Highways

December 27, 2002 • Blues legend B.B. King is still on the road. It's no surprise, really. The 77-year-old guitarist been toured nearly non-stop for more than half a century and he's still playing more than 200 events a year. NPR's Tom Cole offers a profile.

B.B. King's Endless Blues Highways

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Oh, Mama! A Tale Of Two Cities' Memphis Blues

KWEM in West Memphis was, in many ways, a springboard for blues artists on their way to greater glory, including guitarist B.B. King. Mike Moore/Getty Images hide caption

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A Blog Supreme

Oh, Mama! A Tale Of Two Cities' Memphis Blues

Jazz24

June 15, 2011 • Before nailing down the title "birthplace of rock 'n' roll," Memphis and West Memphis made many great contributions to early acoustic and electric blues.