B. B. King is probably the most popular and successful blues (see entry under 1920s—Music in volume 2) singer and guitarist ever to live. His distinctive style, played on his famous guitar named "Lucille," has influenced countless musicians both in blues and rock and roll (see entry under 1950s—Music in volume 3) music.

Born Riley B. King in rural Mississippi in 1925, "B. B.," as he was known, heard early blues guitarists and singers and learned to play in their style before developing his own. King began his career in Memphis, Tennessee, playing on street corners and at local clubs. In the mid-1940s, he had his own ten-minute show on WDIA radio in Memphis. King began recording singles in 1949 and scored a hit song with "Three O'Clock Blues" in 1951. King toured constantly, often playing more than 340 nights a year, and developed a...