B.B. King

USA, 1949–2015

American blues guitarist and singer, known as the King of the Blues. His vibrato and economical single-note phrasing became a standard reference for electric blues lead playing.

MusicRoots documents 2 artists who influenced B.B. King and 13 artists B.B. King influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced B.B. King?

• T-Bone Walker — B.B. King said that hearing Walker made him realise what kind of guitarist he wanted to be.
• Blind Lemon Jefferson — Blind Lemon's records played in King's home from childhood.

Which artists did B.B. King influence?

• Santana — B.B. King was the first guitarist Santana truly worshipped — tone, vibrato, expressiveness.
• The Yardbirds — B.B. King was the first guitarist who 'took Clapton's breath away', per his autobiography.
• Jimi Hendrix — Hendrix absorbed B.B. King's expressive blues phrasing.
• Tina Turner — B.B. King was a foundational model — Tina sang his 'You Know I Love You' at her first sit-in with Ike's band, the moment their musical bond formed.
• The Allman Brothers Band — B.B. King was a shared foundation for both Duane and Dickey Betts — the singing, string-bending blues lead at the core of the Allmans' guitar language.
• Eric Clapton — B.B. King's singing, string-bending lead style was a core model for Clapton, and later a lifelong friend and collaborator.
• ZZ Top — B.B. King's phrasing and tone were among the blues legends Gibbons named as formative to his guitar style.
• Stevie Ray Vaughan — Vaughan's blues phrasing inherits from B.B. King.
• Fleetwood Mac — Peter Green's singing tone and economy came straight from B.B. King — who famously said Green was the only guitarist who gave him 'the cold sweats'.
• Bobby Bland — Bland came up in Memphis alongside B.B. King in the Beale Streeters — King's blues guitar and singing were a direct model for Bland's soul-blues.
• The Jeff Beck Group — B.B. King's expressive electric-blues lead guitar was among the core influences behind Beck's own playing.
• Buddy Guy — B.B. King's singing electric-blues lead was a primary model for Buddy Guy's own expressive guitar.
• Jerry Lee Lewis — Among the R&B musicians Lewis was listening to early, with Ray Charles and Muddy Waters.