On May 14, 2015, the world lost a renowned blues musician and guitar legend, B.B. King. He was 89 years old. Born Riley B. King on September 16, 1925, in Itta Bena, Mississippi, King began playing the guitar at the age of 12, inspired by the music of T-Bone Walker, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Charley Patton. King received his first guitar, a homemade one-string instrument built by his father, at age 6. In 1947, King moved to Memphis, Tennessee and began performing live in the area. When WDIA radio offered him his own radio program, King began calling himself the "Beale Street Blues Boy," which was later shortened to "Blues Boy," and then to B.B. His career endured and grew over the next five decades, resulting in more than 50 albums, 15 Grammy awards including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and more than 250 copyright music releases. In 1987, King was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame, and in 1989, King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. B.B. King was the recipient of many other awards and honors, including the Kennedy Center Honors in 1995 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2006. King died on May 14, 2015, leaving behind an indelible mark on the music industry. He will be remembered as a pioneer of electric blues music.