Riley B. King, better known around the world as B.B. King, hitchhiked to Memphis from Itta Bena, Mississippi, in 1947 to join a diverse, influential music scene and to plant his blues roots. His nickname, Beale Street Blues Boy, was shortened to B.B. as he and his music gained popularity with a regular radio spot on WDIA. Now 82, King has released more than 50 albums and continues to tour the world, playing more than 200 concerts a year. The thrill lives on, and Memphis has honored King with a brass music note located, naturally enough, in front of B.B. King’s Blues Club on Beale.
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