B.B. King 1925-2015
The legendary King of the Blues -- Riley B. King, otherwise known as B.B. King, brought blues to the mainstream with his wailing guitar style and velvety voice. In a career that spanned decades, he was best known for his biggest hit, "The Thrill is Gone" which won a Grammy in 1971. King died at the age of 89 on Thursday, May 14, 2015.
In this photo, B.B. King plays at the White House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 21, 2012.
King, Jagger, Obama
President Barack Obama sings "Sweet Home Chicago" with B.B. King and Mick Jagger at the White House during a celebration of blues music hosted by the president and First Lady Michelle Obama as part of the "In Performance at the White House: Red, White and Blues" in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 21, 2012.
On Friday, President Obama said, "The blues has lost its king, and America has lost a legend."
Blues legend B.B. King
Guitarist Jeff Beck greets Blues legend B.B. King at a performance with an all-star cast at a White House event "In Performance at the White House: Red, White and Blues" in Washington, D.C., Feb. 21, 2012.
Blues legend B.B. King
B.B. King performs on stage during the 2013 Crossroads Guitar Festival at Madison Square Garden on in New York City., April 12, 2013.
In his lifetime, King defined Blues for an international audience.
Blues legend B.B. King
Singer B.B. King leaves after he performed during the 2010 National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at the Ellipse, south of the White House, in Washington, D.C., Dec. 9, 2010.
Blues legend B.B. King
(L-R) Musicians Keith Urban, B.B. King, Teddy Campbell, Buddy Guy, John Mayer, and Ricky Minor perform during the 51st annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Feb. 8, 2009.
Blues legend B.B. King
Singers Dee Dee Bridgewater (L), singer Sandra Wilson (C) and musician B.B. King (R) onstage during the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz honoring B.B. King event held at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, Oct. 26, 2008.
B.B. King and President Bush
Blues legend B.B. King (seated on stage) performs for U.S. President George W. Bush and guests during an evening of blues music honoring Black Music Month in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., June 26, 2006
Blues legend B.B. King
B.B. King performs "Hard Times" onstage at CBS' Ray Charles Tribute Concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Oct. 8, 2004.
Upon hearing of King's death, Lenny Kravitz tweeted, "BB, anyone could play a thousand notes and never say what you said in one."
Presidential Medal of Freedom
Blues musician Riley "B.B." King (L), smiles while President George W. Bush (R) presents King with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony for 2006 recipients in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., Dec. 15, 2006.
Blues legend B.B. King
B.B. King (R) lights a big smile as he talks to King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden during a reception in Stockholm, May 24, 2004.
Earlier in the day, King, together with Hungarian-born composer Gyorgy Ligeti, received the Polar Music Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Music for his "significant contributions to the blues".
Blues legend B.B. King
Blues legend B.B. King performs in the Stravinski Auditorium during the 40th Montreux Jazz festival in Montreux, Switzerland, July 3, 2006.
B.B. King and Tony Bennett
Music legends B.B. King (L) and Tony Bennett (R) hold their Grammys at the 42nd annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Feb. 23, 2000.
King's 15 Grammy wins is the most of any artist in the blues genre. His first Grammy award was for the "The Thrill is Gone" in 1971. His most recent was in 2009 for the the album "One Kind Favor".
King was also honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award for the "The Thrill is Gone" in 1998, given for recordings at least 25 years old that have "qualitative or historical significance." He earned a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987.
B.B. King and Eric Clapton
B.B. King, left, jokes with Eric Clapton during a jam session at the Cotton Bowl at the Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival, in Dallas, June 6, 2004
B.B. King's guitar "Lucille"
B.B. King's Gibson Lucille guitar is on display at B.B. King's night club in Universal City, California, Nov. 20, 2001.
King and his guitar, Lucille, were almost inseparable for more than 50 years. The single-note lines punctuating "The Thrill is Gone" is all Lucille.
"The minute I stop singing orally," he once said, "I start to sing by playing Lucille."
Blues legend B.B. King
Blues legend B.B. King performs at the House of Blues in Las Vegas, Feb. 17, 2000.
Blues legend B.B. King
B.B. King poses with his Grammy Awards at the 43rd Grammy Awards in Los Angeles February 21, 2001. King won for best traditional blues album, "Riding with the King," and best pop collaboration with vocals for the album, "Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't."
Blues legend B.B. King
B.B. King appears during a tour at the Great Wall, in Beijing, May 14, 1994. King performed at the grand opening of the Hard Rock Cafe in Beijing May 14.
Blues legend B.B. King
B.B. King performs on July 18, 1985 at the Nice Jazz Festival in France.
B.B. King in New Orleans
Guitarist B.B. King, left, and an accompanist entertain crowds at the opening of the 1980 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, April 21, 1980.
King, Muddy Waters, James Cotton
Blues musician B.B. King, left, James Cotton, center, and Muddy Waters perform together at Radio City Music hall in New York City, June 29, 1979.
The three bluesmen got together at the Newport Jazz Festival concert that was billed as a tribute to Muddy Waters.
Blues legend B.B. King
A group of prisoners at the Dade County stockade listen to B.B. King perform outside their cells in Miami, Florida, Sept. 23, 1971.
King said he first sang to prisoners at the Cook County jail in Chicago and scheduled other such performances.
Blues legend B.B. King
89-year-old B.B. King died May 14, 2015 in Las Vegas. The one-time farmhand brought new fans to the blues and influenced a generation of musicians.
Photo: Portrait of Blues guitarist Riley B. King, known as B.B. King, in 1987.