B.B.+King

As you research your selected guitarist, you will need to note some specific information from his or her life and career. Include the following in your final writing: Details for your written assignment: ,
 * Introduction
 * Biography
 * Discography
 * Legacy
 * Conclusion

The guitarist that I reasearched is named B.B. King. He was born in 1925 and is still alive. He is one of the most famous blues guitarists ever, even though where he lived they didn't like the blues since they thought it was devils music, he still ended up playing it and is known by many as the greatest blues guitarist ever. Blues is a calm and relaxing type of music that he made big by playing it. He had an amazing career and I think he is an interesting guy because of what he did for the blues.

B.B. King was born in 1925 and started his life on a cotton plantation. He sang in gospel groups while he lived on the cotton plantation. Even though he ended up playing blues music, when he was young, the place that he lived thought that blues music was the music of the devil. After living on a cotton plantation for most of his life he went to fight in the United States Army. When he came back he was married twice and had fifteen kids total. Only five of them were adopted. After war for one point he was a disk jockey. He could advertise his own gig on radio, so soon he and his trio were well known. He told people that he got his training while he was in this group and soon after he got record deals. Just being a disk jockey lead to all of the deals that made him the famous man that he is today.

B.B. King released "Miss Martha King" in 1949. That was the first song he released. His last song he released was "Never Trust a Women." He released in 1964. Some influences for my guitarist are rock music because he played some earlier in his life. He was also influenced by early blues players, such as Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and his favorite one, Sonny Boy Williamson. They were played on his Aunt Jemima's Victrola so he got to listen to them a lot and that was a way that he was inspired to play the blues.

B.B. King is recognized as one of the greatest blues guitarist players ever. He even made the blues popular to rock and roll fans. Without him blues music would not be very popular because he made it popular. He has inspired anyone that plays blues by making it big in the music world. He especially inspired Eric Clapton, the late Mike Bloomfield, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Albert Collins, Albert King and Jimi Hendrix. They play the blues and he inspired them to since he is the "King of the Blues."

I think one on the most interesting stories about B.B. King was that at one of his performances in the mid-1950's, two men fought and set the hall on fire when they knocked over a kerosene stove. After he escaped he realized his guitar was inside so he went and got it. Since the guys that set the place on fire were fighting over a woman named Lucille, he named his guitar that, which he has played since then. I also believe it is funny that where he grew up when he was young, said that Blues music was the music of the devil, and yet he went on to play the blues. Overall B.B. King was a great guitarist, with a interesting story, and is still the "King of the Blues."

Works Cited

Sources : Include the source information for all of the articles or web sites that were used to complete your project. Source information is found at the end of each article in iCONN.They should also be listed in alphabetical order by the first word of the source citation. //sample:// "Carol Kaye." //Contemporary Musicians//. Vol. 22. Detroit: Gale, 1998. //Gale Biography In Context//. Web. 8 Jan. 2012. "Selected Websites on Carol Kaye's Life and Works." //Gale Biography in Context//. Detroit: Gale, 2008. //Gale Biography In Context//. Web. 8 Jan. 2012.

Your Source List: "B. B. King." //Contemporary Black Biography//. Vol. 7. Detroit: Gale, 1994. //Gale Biography In Context//. Web. 8 June 2012.

Guitarist Research Notes Table
In the mid-1950's two men at a performance of B.B.'s got into a fight and knocked over a kerosene stove that set the hall on fire. B.B., like everyone else ran out of the hall to saved their lives. But B.B., realizing he had left his guitar inside ran back to get it, barely escaping with his life. After he found out the fight was over a woman named Lucille he decided to name his guitar after the woman and this name has been the name of every guitar B.B. has played since that night. || "Never Trust a Women" 1964 it was his last song. || What do you like about his/her style? || He still plays it today. Another guitarist that plays the blues is Bonnie Raitt. It is calm and soothing music good for relaxing. B.B. King has influenced the guitar playing of; Eric Clapton, the late Mike Bloomfield, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Albert Collins, Albert King and Jimi Hendrix. ||
 * ** Information Feature ** ||= **Your Findings** //cells will expand as you enter your findings// ||
 * The guitar style I am researching is: || Blues guitarist ||
 * The artist I am researching is: || B.B. King ||
 * This guitarist lived from || 1925-present ||
 * Describe the guitar style you are researching. || Calm and relaxing. ||
 * What kind of musical training did the guitarist have? || He played guitar and sang in gospel groups as a kid. ||
 * What types of music influenced this artist? || He was inspired by singing in gospel groups and by rock music because he did play some. ||
 * Name some musicians who influenced the guitarist you are researching. || Recordings by early blues masters like Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and King's favorite, Sonny Boy Williamson, were often playing on his Aunt Jemima's Victrola. King's farm boss agreed to loan him $30 to buy a guitar from the Sears & Roebuck catalog and sign up for music lessons. ||
 * Has this guitarist played more than one style? If so, what other styles? || He played rock sometimes with other guitarists, but he was known for playing the blues. ||
 * What type of guitar does this musician play? || A Gibson guitar named "Lucille." ||
 * What are some interesting facts about your guitarist’s childhood? || He worked on a cotton plantation. He was also banned from singing the blues because where he lived it was known as devil's music. ||
 * What did this guitarist do before he became famous? || He worked on a cotton plantation, sang in gospel groups, was a disk jockey, and served in the United States army. ||
 * List two interesting facts about the guitarist’s life. || He was married twice and had fifteen children. Five of them were adopted. He also co-hosted the National Blues Awards in 1986.
 * List two albums or songs your artist released, the dates they were released and why they are important. || "Miss Martha King" 1949 it was his first song.
 * Who is playing this style of music today?
 * What legacy has this guitarist left to the world of music? || He is recognized as the greatest blues guitarist ever. He helped populize the blues with rock and roll fans. ||