Blues singer and guitarist B.B. King celebrated his 80th birthday on Sept. 16, 2005, and also released the new album 80, featuring blues duets with musicians including Elton John and Eric Clapton.
He's known as the King of The Blues. B.B. KING was born on a cotton plantation in Mississippi. He then moved to Memphis, where he began his music career. Since then, among numerous other awards, he's received seven Grammies, an MTV award, and a Presidential Medal of the Arts. He is also a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This interview originally aired on Oct. 22, 1996.
Copyright 2022 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air.
