This
timeline charting the life of B.B. King, king of the blues, was compiled from
the work of Charles Sawyer, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the B.B King
museum and made interactive by Anthony Moser of BG Blues and Music News. Most
dates are approximate and are accurate to the year.
September 16, 1925
B.B. is born
The place B.B. King was born
Riley
B. King is born (originally spelled "Rileigh") to his parents Albert
and Nora Ella on the planation of Jim O'Reilly in Berclair, Mississippi. He was
named for his father's brother, who vanished when Albert was a boy.
January
1, 1931
Moving
east of the Delta
Alluvial map of Mississippi
Riley's
parents separate and his mother moves with Riley to the hilly part of
Mississippi east of the Delta. For the next 12 years, he lives alternately with
his mother and her new spouse (Elger "Picaninee" Baskin), and then
with his grandmother Elnora Farr and various aunts and uncles from the Pullian
clan.
January
1, 1935
His
mother Nora Ella dies
Nora
Ella dies at approximately 31 years old. Probably cause of death: complications
from diabetes. Riley is left in grief and shock with his grandmother
January
1, 1936
January
1, 1940
Church
and school
Seal of the Church of God In Christ
Riley
lives with his grandmother, aunts and uncles. He attends the Church Of God In
Christ ("Sanctified Church"), Rev. Archie Fair pastor. Music is the
driving force in worship and Reverend Archie plays a guitar in the services.
Archie’s wife and wife of uncle William Pullian are sisters. After church the
sisters visit and Riley is allowed to play the Reverend’s guitar. It is love at
first touch.
January
10, 1940
Grandmother
Elnora Farr dies
A Mississippi cotton field
Grandmother
Elnora Farr dies January 10th, after a brief illness. She and her grandson had
been sharecroppers on farm of Edwayne Henderson. Farm records show she died
owing Henderson $21.75 (over five months’ living allowance). Henderson offers
Riley to stay in grandmother’s cabin and raise cotton on one acre of ground for
a monthly allowance of $2.50. Riley King, alone in the world, begins adult life
at age 14. Henderson farm record lists grim facts: interest charges of 8% applied
quarterly; charge of 40¢ for “3 yrds cotton sack; charge of 50¢ for “wrench;”
credit $1.00 “by work.” At settlement time Riley’s return on his crop is $4.18;
he owes Henderson $7.54, nearly four months’ “furnish.”
September
1, 1940
Moving
to Lexington
Albert King
Albert
King arrives and takes his son to live in Lexington, Mississippi (pop. 3,000
approx.), county seat of Holmes County. Riley meets half-siblings and
stepmother, enrolls in colored school.
October
1, 1941
Back
to Kilmichael
In
late 1941, “big city” ways, cruelty as a common place, the humiliations of
segregation, and a feeling he is a stranger in his father’s home, compel Riley
to get on his bicycle and ride two days (~ 45 miles) back to Kilmichael to be
reunited with his cousins and familiar surroundings. Finding his kin gone Riley
takes residence with family of white farmer Flake Cartledge, lives in shack on
Cartledge farm, walks to school.
January
1, 1943 Indianola
Riley moves back to the Delta, to Indianola. He joins his cousin Birkett Davis and gets work as a tractor driver on Johnson Barrett plantation.
B.B. and Martha King
January
1, 1944
Marries
Martha DentonRiley married Martha Denton. With his cousin and three other people he began singing in the St. John's Gospel Singers. He was inducted into the army, but discharged after basic training when classified as essential to war economy based on skills as a tractor driver.
January
1, 1947
Flees
to Memphis
Bukka White
Flees to Memphis after damaging his tractor, leaving Martha alone and a crop in the ground. Whereabouts are closely held secret in community lest Planter Barrett send the law to fetch Riley. Lives in Memphis with cousin blues singer Bukka White.
January
1, 1948
Returns
to Indianola
Returns
to Indianola in the Delta, works off debt for tractor damage, resolves to
return to Memphis.
October
1, 1948
The
Pepticon Boy
The Hooks Bros
In
late 1948, he arrives in West Memphis, Arkansas, across the Mississippi from
Memphis, goes straight to radio KWEM where Sonny Boy Williamson hosted daily
radio show. Plays one song, live, on the air. Lands a gig at West Memphis’
“16th Street Grill.” Goes to Memphis station WDIA where revolutionary
programming targets all-black audience, auditions in the lobby and lands daily
15-minute spot as “The Pepticon Boy,” selling alcohol-laced health tonic
Pepticon.
January
1, 1949
January
1, 1959
Blues
Boy King
Regional
stardom on radio and in area joints around Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi
brings him to attention of a small record label, cuts four sides for Bullett
Records, including "Miss Martha King." Radio spot expands, Pepticon
Boy becomes “Blues Boy”, then plain “B.B.” King. Survives near fatal bout of
hepatitis; escapes flames of burning dance hall after rushing back into inferno
to save guitar, thereafter named “Lucille” as a reminder to avoid foolish
risks.
July
1, 1950
The
Modern Recordings
California
independent record company Modern Records records B.B. King at Memphis
Recording Service operated by Sam Phillips (soon to be home of Sun Records,
first label of rising star Elvis Presley). Recordings leased on R.P.M. label
get national distribution but little commercial success.
August
1, 1951
3
O'Clock Blues
Modern
Records records “3 O’Clock Blues” at improvised recording space in Memphis
YMCA. Song had been a minor hit for Oklahoma guitarist Lowell Fulson. It was
release in December, 1951 b/w "That Ain't The Way To Do It"
The Regal Theater
February
2, 1952
First
#1 Hit
“3
O’Clock Blues” hits #1 on Billboard R&B hit parade. B.B. King gets a shot
at a national audience. Signs with Universal Attractions booking agency, goes
on tour with stops at Washington, D.C.’s Howard Theater, Baltimore’s Royal
Theater, Chicago’s Regal Theater and Harlem’s Apollo. B.B. rises to the
challenge of a new kind of audience and wins wide acceptance and affection
across the national network of big city theaters, southern juke joints and road
houses called the Chitlin’ Circuit.
March 2, 1952 — December 31, 1956
B.B. King performs with the Bill Harvey Band
at the Hippodrome, in Memphis, Tenn.
March
2, 1952 — 12:00 AM
December
31, 1956
The
Bill Harvey Band
Partners
with Memphis’s most respected bandleader, Bill Harvey. The Bill Harvey Band
becomes the road band for B.B. King, for the next four years. Booking agency is
“Buffalo Booking Agency,” of Houston, Texas, run by Evelyn Johnson, owned by
Don Robey, a growing force in R&B music.
April
1, 1952
First
divorce
Riley
King and Martha King divorce; there are no children from the marriage.
November 8, 1952
#1 Hit - You Know I Love You
Second
hit “You Know I Love You” reaches #1 on the R&B charts. It spent 18 weeks
on the charts.
November
9, 1952
December
31, 1955
A
string of hits
Ten
more B.B. King singles reach top 20 in R&B charts, including two #1 hits.
January
1, 1953
Leaves
WDIA
B.B.
King leaves the roster of DJ’s at WDIA—the road has too big a claim on his
time.
February
1, 1953
#1
Hit - Please Love me
January
1, 1954
#1
Hit - You Upset Me Baby
B.B.
King's fourth and final #1 hit.
"Big Red" the tour bus and the BB
King Band
Forms
the BB King Band
Forms
first big “B.B. King Band,” buys first bus, “Big Red.” Touring compliment of 16
people, including Walker brothers (bus driver Cato, and bassist “Shinny”),
Evelyn “Mama Nuts” Young, drummer Earl Forest (song writer of “Next Time You
See Me”).
“This morning, I come to you all with a heavy heart.
BB King was the greatest guy I ever met. The tone he got out of that guitar, the way he shook his left wrist, the way he squeezed the strings… man, he came out with that and it was all new to the whole guitar playin’ world. He could play so smooth, he didn’t have to put on a show. The way BB did it is the way we all do it now. He was my best friend and father to us all.
I’ll miss you, B. I love you and I promise I will keep these damn Blues alive. Rest well.
All my love,
Buddy”
http://bg.buddyguy.com/the-life-of-b-b-king-an-interactive-timeline/
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