Images: B.B. King (1925-2015) and Lucille
B.B. King, whose scorching guitar licks and heartfelt vocals made him the idol of generations of musicians and fans while earning him the nickname King of the Blues, died late Thursday at home in Las Vegas. He as 89.
His attorney, Brent Bryson, told The Associated Press that King died peacefully in his sleep at 9:40 p.m. PDT. He said funeral arrangements were underway.
In this June 20, 2008, file photo, musician B.B. King performs at the opening night of the 87th season of the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Associated Press
In this Feb. 16, 2007, file photo, B.B. King performs at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center, in Salisbury, Md.
Associated Press
In this photo taken on Monday, March 3, 2014, Blues legend B.B. King performs for hundreds at The Moore Theatre in Seattle.
Associated Press
In this June 20, 2002, file photo, blues legend B.B. King, left, performs with Bo Diddley at the second anniversary celebration of B.B. King's Blues Club and Grill in New York's TImes Square.
Associated Press
In this Aug. 8, 2013, file photo, Blues music legend B.B. King performs on Frampton's Guitar Circus 2013 Tour at Pier Six Pavilion, in Baltimore.
Associated Press
In this June 20, 2008 file photo, musician B.B. King performs at the opening night of the 87th season of the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Associated Press
In this April 18, 2006, file photo, B.B. King plays during his 10,000th career performance in an appearance at his club in New York.
Associated Press
B.B. King came a long way from his first job picking cotton in the Mississippi Delta.
Blues guitarist B.B. King gives a thumbs up to the crowd at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005 in Lowell, Mass.
Associated Press
A tearful B.B. King listens as a list of his accomplishments are read in the Senate chambers at the Capitol in Jacksson, Miss., Feb. 15, 2005. King was honored individually by the House, Senate and Governor's Office during his visit to the Capitol. King said he had never set foot in the Capitol until Tuesday, and lawmakers and the governor made sure it would be a grand visit with House and Senate declaring Tuesday to be B.B. King Day.
Associated Press
Lucille was B.B. King's constant companion.
Legendary blues artist B.B. King performs at the Dodge Theatre in this Aug. 5, 2003 file photo, in Phoenix. B.B.
Associated Press
Blues legend B.B. King plays the FM Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre Pa. on Sunday night, Nov. 18, 2007.
Associated Press
Music legend B.B. King, holds a Living Legend medal in honor of his achievements, during a ceremony, Monday, Sept. 12, 2005, at the Library of Congress, in Washington.
Associated Press
Bluesman B.B. King greets the audience during a performance at the Crown Theatre, Monday night, April 24, 2006, in Fayetteville, N.C.
AP Photo/The Fayetteville Observer, Marc Hall
Bluesman B.B. King performs at the Crown Theatre, Monday night, April 24, 2006, in Fayetteville, N.C.
AP Photo/The Fayetteville Observer, Marc Hall
US blues singer B.B. King smiles during a media conference before his final farewell concert in Berlin on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2006.
Associated Press
Legendary blues artist B.B. King performs at the Crown Theatre Monday night, April 24, 2006, in Fayetteville, N.C.
AP Photo/The Fayetteville Observer, Marc Hall
Music legend B.B. King, shows his CD, during a ceremony at the Library of Congress, Monday, Sept. 12, 2005, in Washington.
Associated Press
Blues legend B.B. King, 81, is wheeled out of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas, in 2007, after a two-night stay at the hospital.
AP Photo/The Daily News, Kevin M. Cox
Blues legend B.B. King once performed at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora.
This photo provided by Dan Steinberg shows Musician B.B. King with his famed guitar "Lucille" during an 80th birthday benefit for the BB King Museum in Encino, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2005.
Associated Press
This photo provided by Dan Steinberg shows Musician B.B. King playing his famed guitar "Lucille" during an 80th birthday benefit for the BB King Museum in Encino, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2005.
Associated Press
In this file photo taken Aug. 22, 2012, B.B. King performs at the 32nd annual B.B. King Homecoming, a concert on the grounds of an old cotton gin where he worked as a teenager in Indianola, Miss.
Associated Press
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