Legendary B.B. King Dead At 89

According to his attorney, legendary blues vocalist and guitarist B.B. King died at the age of 89 at his Las Vegas home on Thursday.

King’s career spanned well over 60 years and he was the greatest ambassador that blues music ever saw. His name was as synonymous with blues as Louie Armstrong’s was with with jazz. Spending the first 20 years of his career playing to predominantly black audiences, King took blues into the mainstream in the 1970s and continued to push it further into every day American culture. He has performed thousands of shows and has collaborated with stars of every possible genre, including US and Sheryl Crow.

King was also famous for playing his entire career with his black Gibson guitar, which he affectionately referred to as “Lucille.”

He has been suffering from poor health most of the year, and was under hospice care at his home when he died.