Timeline: B.B King

Period: Jan 31, 1925 to Feb 22, 2013

riley

Period: Sep 15, 1925 to Sep 16, 1925

September 16 1925

B.B King is born

Sep 16, 1925

Birth

Riley B. King is Born on a Wednesday, September 16, 1925, In Berclair, Mississippi.

Jan 1, 1931

Divorece.

Riley's parents separate.

Feb 22, 1940

Dad to the rescue

Albert King arrives and takes his son to live in Lexington, Mississippi.

Jan 1, 1943

Army Man

In 1943—during World War II—the 18 year old King enlisted in the army.

Feb 22, 1944

Wedding bells

B.B King and Martha get married.

Apr 22, 1947

Run Away

After tractor broke Riley leaves to Memphis, Tennesse to find work leaving Martha all alone.

Feb 22, 1948

Homesick - not really

After paying debt for the brokenr tractor Riley returns to Memphis to start making music

Mar 25, 1948

Break through

Late 1948: Arrives in West Memphis, Arkansas, across the Mississippi from Memphis, goes straight to radio KWEM where Sonny Boy Williamson hosted daily radio show. Plays one song, live, on the air. Lands a gig at West Memphis’ “16th Street Grill.”

May 24, 1950

Stardom

1949-1950: Regional stardom on radio and in area joints around Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi brings him to attention of a small record label, cuts four sides for Bullett Records.

May 25, 1950

Re-inventing himself

Riley King gives himself the nickanem Blues Boy but is later shortend to B.B

Aug 22, 1951

1st single

August, 1951: Modern Records records “3 O’Clock Blues” which is his first real professional song recording.

Feb 2, 1952

1st hit on billbored charts

February 2, 1952: “3 O’Clock Blues” hits #1 on Billboard R&B hit parade

Feb 25, 1952

second hit single

1952: Second hit “You Know I Love You” reaches #1 on the R&B charts.

May 1, 1952

divorce

1952: Riley King and Martha King divorce. There are no children from the marriage

Feb 25, 1955

more #1 hit singles

1952-1955: Ten more B.B. King singles reach top 20 in R&B charts, including two #1 hits:

Jun 28, 1956

on the road

1955: Forms first big “B.B. King Band,” buys first bus, “Big Red.”
1956: Plays 340 one-night-stands, works every day of the year.

May 27, 1964

This one song

1964: Records “Live At The Regal,” the album that eventually secures his stature as King of The Blues for decades to come.

Feb 25, 1970

getting more famous

1970’s: Repeated tours abroad and regular appearances on American television shows like “The Tonight Show” and “Merv Griffin,” propel B.B.’s renown steadily higher.

Feb 25, 1980