# R.I.P. BB King at 89 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [May 15, 2015, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092 "2015-05-15T06:34:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/1 "2015-05-15T06:34:52Z")
He was in hospice for a while so we knew this was coming. One of the greats I am lucky to say I got see “The King of Blues” live 10 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/2 "2015-05-15T06:56:30Z")
Thanks for everything, Mr King. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/3 "2015-05-15T06:59:43Z")
You done good, Mr. King. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/4 "2015-05-15T07:06:28Z")
The thrill is gone. RIP, B.B. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/5 "2015-05-15T07:50:24Z")
His style of playing influenced countless musicians. RIP B.B. King. ---
**Author:** ![Saturn\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Saturn\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saturn_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/6 "2015-05-15T07:58:33Z")
This just came across my news feed. Thank you B.B. for making me feel the blues. I’m going to go home tonight and listen to one of his live albums while raising a Scotch to his name. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/7 "2015-05-15T09:58:54Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > The thrill is gone. RIP, B.B. Exactly. Nobody could sting a note the way Riley the Blues Boy King did. Thank you Mr. King. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/8 "2015-05-15T10:15:07Z")
Surely it’s been posted here already, but blues giant, kingpin, and one of the many Kings has passed on. B.B. King was a friend to Living Blues Magazine, and a worldwide friend and ambassador to all. I know the following authors of his obituary, and I recommend that you read both newspaper articles: [http://www](http://www). [Music | The Guardian](http://theguardian.com/music/2015/may/15/) bb-king-obituary-mississippi-farmhand-blues-legend [http://www.theguardian](http://www.theguardian). com/music/2015 /may/15/bb-king-obituary- mississippi-farmhand-blues-legend Obligatory links “broken” per SDMB “rules”. Forgive me if I’ve done something wrong. One Kind Favor I Ask Of You. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/9 "2015-05-15T10:47:57Z")
All I can do is wish him well. The King. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/10 "2015-05-15T11:16:17Z")
RIP Mr. King. Your music will live on forever. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/11 "2015-05-15T11:19:06Z")
doo, doodoo doodoo “I woke up this mornin’” doo, doodoo doodoo Alas, sadly not this time Mr. King. ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/12 "2015-05-15T11:36:25Z")
Thank you, Mr. Riley B. King, for the music. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/13 "2015-05-15T11:36:55Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Exactly. Nobody could sting a note the way Riley the Blues Boy King did. I thought B.B. meant “Biscuit Biter”? [/cosby] ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/14 "2015-05-15T11:39:50Z")
Better still, read his biography. The man had one hell of a ride! ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/15 "2015-05-15T11:47:13Z")
Cafe Society thread: [R.I.P. BB King at 89 - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=756991) ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/16 "2015-05-15T12:25:41Z")
One of my biggest regrets in life is not skipping my night class in college to go see him play And now I never will… ---
**Author:** ![Cell\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Cell\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cell_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/17 "2015-05-15T12:56:16Z")
I had the honor of meeting him after a concert 15 years ago. He could have just signed a picture for us and sent us on our way. Instead he spent about 30 minutes telling stories and just being the nicest guy. A friend brought a LP to get signed and B.B. spent about 5 minutes talking about the recording session and the people that played on it. Just an incredibly nice guy and a hell of a blues player. He will be missed. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/18 "2015-05-15T13:28:23Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > One of my biggest regrets in life is not skipping my night class in college to go see him play > > And now I never will… I learned my lesson when I missed a Stevie Ray Vaughn show. I made extra effort to catch King and Hooker while I had the chance. Fun (or not so fun) Fact: B. B. King’s tour bus ran over my wife’s neighbor’s dog. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/19 "2015-05-15T13:31:18Z")
The true King of music. You did very well for all of us. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092/20 "2015-05-15T13:31:51Z")
I saw him at a Blues Fest in Greensboro NC many moons ago. Opening acts included the Robert Cray band. The musicians were all incredible, but they looked like they were trying really hard. King didn’t. He was at least as dazzling, but didn’t look like he was putting any effort into it. He apologized for asking for a chair in the middle of his set. He was just so cool and laid back. He clearly loved to perform and toured the planet many times over. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-bb-king-at-89/720092.md?page=2)