Skip to main content

B. B. King

 



Blues singer, song writer, disc jockey, guitarist and record producer Riley B (B B) King was born in Itta Bena, Mississippi on September 16, 1925. As a young man he sang in a gospel choir. He initially worked at a cotton gin. Interested in music, he taught himself the guitar. In 1941 he became a fan of a blues music programme on the radio. By 1943 he had moved to Inverness, Mississippi where he worked driving a tractor and sang gospel at local churches – and on the radio. He moved to Memphis in 1946 and by 1948 was appearing with Sonny Boy Williamson on Williamson’s radio show.

“BB” stands for “Blues Boy” which is the nickname given to him by other staff when he worked on radio station WDIA as a singer and disc jockey.

By 1949 he had formed his own travelling show and was recording for Modern Records.

B B King died in Las Vegas, Nevada, on 14 May 2015 from vascular dementia caused by strokes resulting from diabetes.

Image: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images | 1948

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Owen Gray

  Owen Grey | Copyright Control | 25006 Singer and song writer and musician Owen Gray was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 5 July 1939 and is regarded as a pioneer of Jamaican popular music. He won his first talent contest aged nine. By twelve he had joined a band, playing drums, guitar and keyboards. He became associated with Chris Blackwell in 1960, and was one of the first artistes to be produced by Blackwell. In 1962 he emigrated to the United Kingdom, toured Europe in 1964, and since 1966 became recognised as a soul as well as reggae singer. In the 1970s he relocated to New Orleans and then back to Jamaica. Since the 1980s he lived in Miami, Florida. Owen Grey died in London, UK, on 20 July, 2025.
Post a Comment
Read more

June Bateman

June Bateman-Watts was born Marian June Batemon on November 17, 1939. The recording  “Believe me darling” by June Bateman appears on ILP 920, “50 Minutes 24 Seconds of Recorded Dynamite” as well as single WI 347. A single, "I don't wanna"/"Nobles Theme" was issued on Sue WI 347 in July 1965. June was understood to have retired to DeLand, Florida in 1984 and for some years played an active role in the annual  Noble “Thin Man” Watts festival .  "Rate Your Music" note that June Bateman died on  13 February 2016. Can anyone confirm, please. Chart position data not available. June Bateman | Undated | Jungle Hop | 14659 103 | 11 June 2025 | Updated
Post a Comment
Read more

Anita Wood

  Anita Wood | Copyright Control | 25007 Anita Marie Wood Brewer was born in 1937 and was a girl friend for a time to Elvis Presley.  Her recording of  "Dream Baby"/ “This has happened before” (US Santo 9054, 1964) was issued on Sue WI 328. She sang with Andy Williams, uncredited, on his 1959 hit of “The Hawaiian Wedding Song” and appeared regularly in his television series. Anita Wood died  of pneumonia at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi,  on 29 June 2023, age 85.
Post a Comment
Read more