Las Vegas: Fans of Blues legend B B King are distraught over his death. Tributes have poured in from Memphis to New York. At his blues club in Times Square cards and flowers were left at the door.
King’s blues club in Times Square
The famed guitarist, took the blues from rural juke joints to the mainstream and influenced a generation of rock guitarists.
Patrick Simpson is the executive chef at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill.
He says, “I always say the good people, God take the good people to watch over the ones who can’t help themselves and rhythm and blues is needed up in heaven so he’s definitely watching over us.”
King had a deep, resonant singing voice and, despite having what he called “stupid fingers,” an immediately recognizable guitar sound.
One Fan says, “He was a great guitar player. He came a long way for a guy who actually couldn’t play guitar chords, just single notes and he did real well for himself.”
His unique style of trilling the strings with a fluttering left-hand vibrato, which he called “the butterfly,” helped shape early rock.
Another fan says, “B.B. King was a beautiful soul. He was an incredible musician, he was an influence on so many of the musicians that I respect in addition to being himself. He had a wonderful, wonderful long life. He made a tremendous amount of people happy with his music, and I hope he rests in peace, job well done, he had a great time.”
Eighty-nine-year old King died at his Las Vegas home.
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