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riley
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September 16 1925
B.B King is born -
Birth
Riley B. King is Born on a Wednesday, September 16, 1925, In Berclair, Mississippi. -
Divorece.
Riley's parents separate. -
Dad to the rescue
Albert King arrives and takes his son to live in Lexington, Mississippi. -
Army Man
In 1943—during World War II—the 18 year old King enlisted in the army. -
Wedding bells
B.B King and Martha get married. -
Run Away
After tractor broke Riley leaves to Memphis, Tennesse to find work leaving Martha all alone. -
Homesick - not really
After paying debt for the brokenr tractor Riley returns to Memphis to start making music -
Break through
Late 1948: Arrives in West Memphis, Arkansas, across the Mississippi from Memphis, goes straight to radio KWEM where Sonny Boy Williamson hosted daily radio show. Plays one song, live, on the air. Lands a gig at West Memphis’ “16th Street Grill.” -
Stardom
1949-1950: Regional stardom on radio and in area joints around Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi brings him to attention of a small record label, cuts four sides for Bullett Records. -
Re-inventing himself
Riley King gives himself the nickanem Blues Boy but is later shortend to B.B -
1st single
August, 1951: Modern Records records “3 O’Clock Blues” which is his first real professional song recording. -
1st hit on billbored charts
February 2, 1952: “3 O’Clock Blues” hits #1 on Billboard R&B hit parade -
second hit single
1952: Second hit “You Know I Love You” reaches #1 on the R&B charts. -
divorce
1952: Riley King and Martha King divorce. There are no children from the marriage -
more #1 hit singles
1952-1955: Ten more B.B. King singles reach top 20 in R&B charts, including two #1 hits: -
on the road
1955: Forms first big “B.B. King Band,” buys first bus, “Big Red.”
1956: Plays 340 one-night-stands, works every day of the year. -
This one song
1964: Records “Live At The Regal,” the album that eventually secures his stature as King of The Blues for decades to come. -
getting more famous
1970’s: Repeated tours abroad and regular appearances on American television shows like “The Tonight Show” and “Merv Griffin,” propel B.B.’s renown steadily higher. -
bio
First biography, “The Arrival of B.B. King,” published by Doubleday, written by Charles Sawyer -
grammy
1987: Lifetime Achievement Grammy -
president
1990: President George Bush presents B.B. with the Presidential Medal of the Arts. -
Grammy number two
2000: Records “Riding With The King” with Eric Clapton. Album goes double-platinum and wins the Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album -
Museum
B.B king's museum opens up -
Awards
December 15, 2008: President George W. Bush awards B.B. King the Medal of Freedom -
Still has it
BB King is still touring around the world till this day
