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Anyone the least bit familiar with the blues is bound to
know the name B.B. King. In fact, there's no blues man alive today who is more
widely recognized or duly honored, given his numerous accomplishments. Born on
a Mississippi cotton plantation 86 years ago today, Riley B. King has been
heralded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, an accomplished singer
and recording artist whose string of hits -- "Rock Me Baby," "Everyday I Have
the Blues," and "The Thrill Is Gone" among them -- has not only become a part of the
musical mainstream but consistently covered by the younger artists who
followed in his wake. Eric Clapton, U2, and the late Gary Moore are among those
who consider themselves his disciples.
Still, for all his honors and accolades -- including induction into both the Blues
Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inclusion in the
Kennedy Center Honors, numerous Grammy awards, and the National Medal of
the Arts -- there are still things about this legendary
artist that have escaped most people's attention. Here are seven
facts about the great B.B. King you may not know:
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