Riley B. "B.B." King
(guitarist/singer, born September 16, 1925, Itta Bena, MS)
The most touching bluesman of our time, and the most influential electric guitarist ever, the "King of the
Blues" sums up his message with some simple advice. "I would say to all people, but maybe to young people especially--black and white or whatever color--follow your own feelings and trust them, find out what you want to do and do it, and then practice it every day of your life and keep becoming what you are, despite any hardships and obstacles you meet."
So hard to follow yet so good to live by, those words also describe the course of the musician's extraordinary career. The obstacles in his path were many: He was born during the Great Depression in the poorest of American states, the son of black farm laborers. Only talent, hard work, and an unstoppable artistic vision can account for King's journey out of the Mississippi Delta, through the roadhouse joints of the "Chitlin' Circuit" in the South to the legendary Apollo Theater in New York, into the recording studio, to the hearts of millions. Praising his "apparently inexhaustible reserve of creativity," as he presented B.B. King with the National Medal of Arts in 1990, President George Bush hailed the blues musician as a "trailblazer, an authentic pioneer who literally helped shape his art form."
Riley B. King (the extra "B" came later and doesn't stand for anything) spent his childhood all over the state of Mississippi. When his parents separated in 1929, the boy went to live with his maternal grandmother in Kilmichael; his mother died when he was nine and, in 1940, B.B. joined his father's new family in Lexington for two years before returning to Kilmichael. He took on farm work in Indianola in
1946 but, after wrecking a tractor, decided his future lay in Memphis, Tennessee. A fan of the bluesman
Bukka White, young B.B. looked him up for advice and found himself working as a street corner bluesman in Memphis. In 1948 he worked up the nerve to audition for WDIA, a hillbilly radio station that was about to change its format to cater to the black community. He got the job.
He cut his first record in 1949, "Miss Martha King," followed by "Three O'Clock Blues" and "She's
Dynamite" in 1951. Both reached Number One in Memphis. By 1955, King decided to put together his own band, and a steady string of hits followed that included "Recession Blues," "Rock Me, Baby," "How
Crump was born October 2, 1874 to a poor family in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Crump attended public schools until the age of fourteen when he dropped out. In 1892 at the age of 18, Crump moved to Memphis. Crump got educated in bookkeeping and worked a few clerical jobs. It was there that he began dating and eventually married his wife Bessie McLean.
In 1955, Presley began to develop a huge following with fans being drawn to his unusual musical...
Mississippi Delta when he was an infant. Raised for the rest of his young life
He started off in life rather poor and had to go long ways to help his family by finding a job to help his family financially as I said because they weren’t rich. He went from paying $20 annually for rent for the place he was living at to renovating a mansion for $10,000,000. Instead of staying in the situation he was in as a young kid he decided to give himself a great life by working for it.
At the age of nineteen years old Presley began his music performing at the “Hillbilly Cat.” After being discovered Presley signed with Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee in 1954. Then his contract was sold in 1955 to RCA Victor. His musical influences were a mix of multiple genres. He was influenced by gospel threw church; black R&B threw Beale Street in Memphis. He combined all the genres to create the early rock n roll that would arouse many people around the world.
B.B. King was born as Riley B. King on September 16, 1925, on a plantation in Itta Bena, Mississippi. He was a blues singer, record producer, and an electrical guitarist. Being exposed to blues was an important aspect in his life. He made many accomplishments throughout his musical career.
He wanted to get a rifle, but his mother talked him into getting the guitar instead. Did you know in 1954, Elvis auditioned to be in a gospel quartet, and was turned down? He definitely proved them wrong. Elvis, at only 19, began his singing career in 1954, and by 1956 was an international sensation. Being so young when he started, it is amazing to see that he had many different musical influences. Pop and country were influences at the time, gospel from his family, church, and the all-night gospel concerts that he frequently attended, and the R&B music he heard as a Memphis teen. Elvis went to Sun Records and paid four dollars to make his first record as a gift for his mom, and ended up being discovered. In 1954, Elvis began his singing career with Sun Records label. They were looking for a new sound that blended the best of black music, and the best of white music. Luckily, Elvis helped fit that part perfectly. He ended up recording approximately twenty-four songs at Sun Records Studio. In late 1955, his recording contract was sold to RCA Victor. Elvis’ breakthrough hit was Heartbreak Hotel, released in 1956. With a sound and style that uniquely combined his diverse musical influences, he blurred and challenged the social and racial barriers of the time. He brought in a whole new era of American music and popular culture. Globally, he has sold over one billion records, more than any other artist. His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or multi-platinum awards for 150 different albums and singles, far more than any other artist. His talent, good looks, sexual attractiveness, charm, and good humor made him loved by millions,as did the humbleness and kindness he demonstrated throughout his life. He is regarded as one of the most important figures of twentieth century popular culture (Remembering Elvis, 40 Years
...f his problems with the Internal Revenue Service. However, he also has the drive of a superego. I believe had he not had the determination to succeed in his life, he would not be where he is today.
1930: Married Carol Henning and moved to the family home in Pacific Grove. His father
Michael A. Karson was born in Glenside, Pennsylvania. He moved at age one year old to Fort Myers, FL. After 14 years residing in the area the family moved to Virginia for one year. Due to his father employment he moved back to Fort Myers, Florida. He indicated that within the area of Fort Myers he has frequently moved.
influenced both the music industry and our nation as a whole. Although “The King of Rock and Roll” has left the stage, his legacy remains in the memories of
No black school was available locally so he was forced to move. He said "Good-bye" to his adopted parents, Susan and Moses, and headed to Newton County in southwest Missouri. Here is where the path of his education began. He studied in a one-room schoolhouse and worked on a farm to pay for it. He ended up, shortly after, moving with another family to Fort Scott in Kansas. In Kansas, he worked as a baker in a kitchen while he attended the High School. He paid for his schooling with the money he earned from winning bake-off contests. From there he moved all over bouncing from school to school. "College entrance was a struggle again because of racial barriers."2 At the age of thirty he gained acceptance to Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa.
By the late 1950s Elvis could be heard on the radio, seen on the television and even seen in the movie theaters on the big screen. He had breeched all medias and was creating a new era of style and sound.
Johnny cash, the man in black is a country legend, him and the Tennessee two, made a name for themselves in the mid 50's. There orignal songs where gospil, but when trying to get a record deal was turned down for the gospil ,but then played a song Johnny cash wrote. The first hit was "Cry,Cry,Cry", other hits were " i walk the line","folsom Prison blues" , and others such as " man in black"" Hey Porter", and " get rhythm". Johnny cash marride his early wife Vivian Liberto in 1954, and moved to Memphis, Tennessee.His band The Tennessee two consited of Luther Perkins and bass player Marshall Grant. They were known for there sound, people say they had a "boom-chik-a-Boom" sound like a train. Johnny wore dark clothing which got him the name "man in black", and hestarted his performanced with the simple entrance "Hello im Johnny Cash". {wikipedia}