Chapter 6: Bluesmen/Blueswomem

In 1940. BB moved to the new family with his father in Lexington, Mississippi remained there until 1942, when he returned to Kilmichael and subsequently to Indianola. While serving in the army, was able to sing the Blues for the first time and be done. After the army, King worked on the farm of Barret, near Indianola, but left in 1946 in the hope of a better life in Memphis.Este is the year that King himself defines as the beginning of his career.

In Memphis, B. can get in touch with his cousin, bluesman Bukka White, who taught him the technique of "bottleneck" but without the "slide." "I tried to play slide like him, but I never could. Then began to vibrate and make the hand with the aid of an amplifier, could hold the note." Mr. King account. After ten months in Memphis, B. returned to Indianola where he remained until 1946. The temptations of the big city had seduced the young bluesman, who with some money in his pocket, ran toward Beale Street in Memphis in 1948. In a contest at The Palace Theatre met the Beale Streeters, which met Bobby Bland, Rosco Gordon, John Alexander, Little Junior Parker, with which B. can play a few times.

The year 1949 was marked by two important events in the life of Mr. King. When he played in the City of Twist, Arkansas, two men started a fight, knocking over a kerosene lantern and then causing a huge fire. King remembered he had forgotten his guitar Gibson ES 335 and went back into the building to save her. Later he learned that the fight was motivated by a woman named Lucille. Never to forget the fact, King named his Gibson with the name of the woman who almost brought him to morte.O second important fact was the opportunity given by Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) singing on his radio show in wdia. Success was immediate and BB became the poster boy of a miraculous tonic called Pep-ti-kon, which promised to cure all kinds of disease. King announced on his program than ten minutes: "Take Pep-ti-kon." Little did he know that the tonic was composed almost exclusively of alcohol. On the radio, became known as "The Blues Boy from Beale Street, Bee Bee King" Blues Boy King, and eventually BB King.

At age 73, King continues to bring the blues to all people: young, old, black or white around the entire planet. It is the most famous bluesman of all time. What has the longer career, recorded more albums, etc ... In 1987, he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his body of work. For five decades, people have been crying, screaming and singing with BB King, who still often perform more than 200 shows a year and have stayed in over 80 countries, from Brazil to China.

B.B. King will forever be the King of the Blues.