Fanboys Anonymous

Every genre of music has its heroes: Hendrix, Mozart, Elvis, Pavarotti, Madonna, David Guetta, and so forth. Though they are not the only absolute truths in their categories, for some reason destiny chose them to be the spearhead of their brethren's flagpole. Yes, I'm kidding about Guetta.

B.B. King plays on "Lucille"

B.B. King was such. A name so big in the genre of blues that even my grandmother, who knows nothing of the sorts, is aware of the larger-than-life legend. If you're not aware of what this man did with blues, now is the time to get to know it. The elements of jazz, gospel, and even rock 'n' roll that were imported to that particular facet of guitar music are probably due to Blues Boy King.

This is big because blues music was essentially the Mississippi delta acoustic guitar tunes, usually about the devil at the crossroads at midnight, or "my baby ran away on a train to Georgia." With the modernization of blues and the electric guitar, B.B. King did his part alongside peers of close caliber but nowhere near the same brilliance as King's charisma. He moaned, cried, screamed, and told jokes and tales through his guitar, Lucille. The message was loud and clear as he influenced names such as Eric Clapton, Gary Moore, and Keith Richards.

Averaging 250–300 shows per year, he had cut back to "only" 100 in since he turned 80. Such was his dedication that he performed into the last year of his life, when the last remaining dates of 2014 were cancelled due to health reasons.

Enjoy some of his work! R.I.P. Blues Boy.