B.B. King, Blues Legend, Dies At 89

B.B. King, the legendary American blues singer and guitarist, died on Thursday in Las Vegas. He was 89.

B.B. King Dies

Patty King, B.B. King’s daughter, confirmed that he died to CNN. Her father had been in hospice care over the last two weeks after she found him suffering from dehydration.

King’s storied career spanned six decades, starting in the late 1940s following a move to Memphis, Tenn. There, he learned from his cousin Bukka White before getting his big break in 1948 performing on Sonny Boy Williams’ radio program and booking a recurring 10-minute spot on WDIA. In 1949, he released his first recordings, “Miss Martha King/ Take a Swing with Me” and “How Do You Feel When Your Baby Packs Up and Goes/ I’ve Got the Blues.”

King won his first Grammy in 1970 for Best R&B Vocal Performance Male for “The Thrill is Gone.” The year 1970 also brought King’s first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show and the launch of his Carnegie Hall show.

Over the course of his career, King earned 30 Grammy nominations and 15 Grammy wins. He was also honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

King continued his career, touring the country well into his 80s, performing his final show last fall.

King is survived by his 11 children.