We are very sorry to inform you that the great B.B. King, who was 89 years old, passed away Friday night. The “Thrill Is Gone,” but we will never forget what he offered to all of us. Fly on B.B., you did a great job in this situation.
B.B. King, known as the “King of the Blues” for his fiery guitar playing and passionate singing that made him the darling of countless musicians and fans, passed away late Thursday at home in Las Vegas. He as 89. According to Brent Bryson,his lawyer, King passed away quietly in his sleep at 9:40 p.m. PDT. He said plans for the funeral were being made. John Fudenberg, the coroner for Clark County, verified the demise. Shirley King, the eldest surviving daughter of King, who lives in the Chicago region,
expressed regret about missing the opportunity to see her father before his passing. The 15-time Grammy winner had diabetes and had been deteriorating in health over the previous year, despite performing well into his 80s.Last October, he passed out at a concert in Chicago and later put it down to exhaustion and dehydration. At his Las Vegas residence, he had been receiving hospice care. King’s playing technique featured finely produced single-string runs interrupted by booming chords,
subtle vibratos, and bent notes on a Gibson guitar he affectionately referred to as Lucille. King’s approach was unique, and the outcome could give an audience chills never more so than when he employed it to its fullest potential on his hallmark song, “The Thrill is Gone.”
King didn’t want to play and sing at the same time, so he and Lucille established a call-and-response. We send our sympathies to his family and friends at this difficult time, and we wish them speedy resolution of their problems. B.B. King is no longer with us, but as we previously stated, the thrill he gave us will always endure in the hearts of his loved ones and admirers. Peacefully rest, B.B. King.