| Celebrated Name/Nick Name: | B.B. King |
|---|---|
| Real Name/Birth Name: | Riley B. King |
| Gender: | Male |
| Age at the time of death: | 89 years old |
| Birth Date/Birthday: | 16 September 1925 |
| Birth Place: | Berclair, Mississippi, United States |
| Residence: | Memphis |
| Nationality: | American |
| Ethnicity: | White |
| Height/How Tall: | 1.77 m |
| Weight: | 86 kg |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Divorced |
| Wife/Spouse (Name): | Sue Carol Hall (m. 1958–1966), Martha Lee Denton (m. 1946–1952) |
| Children: | Yes (Barbara King Winfree, Shirley King, Patty King) |
| Dating/Girlfriend (Name): |
N/A |
| Is B.B. King Gay? (Name of Partner): | No |
| Does he have tattoos?: | No |
| Smoking: | No |
| Drinking: | Yes |
| Profession: | American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer |
| Net Worth in 2023: | $30 million |
| Last Updated: | October 2023 |
B.B. King was a blues singer and electric guitarist. He was also a record producer. It was King who introduced the soloing style. This style was based on the shimmering vibrator and “string blending.” This technique has influenced several blues guitarists of the later generation.
Perhaps you know a thing or two about B.B. King, however, how well do you know about him? For instance, how old was he? How about his height and weight, moreover his net worth? In another case, B.B. King might be a stranger, fortunately for you we have compiled all you need to know about B.B. King’s biography-wiki, his personal life, today’s net worth as of 2023, height, weight, career, professional life, and more facts. Well, if your all set, here is what I know.
Table of Contents
Early Life & Biography
Riley B. King took birth on 16th September 1925 near Itta Bena in Mississippi. His parents, Nora and Albert, were sharecroppers. He was raised by Elnora Farr, his maternal grandmother, in Kilmichael town in Mississippi. When he was young, he sang in gospel music choir at the “Elkhorn Baptist Church.” The minister of the church taught the young King his first three chords. King purchased the opening guitar of his life when he was 12. It cost him $15,000.
Age, Height, Weight & Body Measurement
B.B. King’s age was 89 years old at the time of his death. Though, he was 1.77 m tall, he weighs about 86 kg.
Personal Life: Affair, Girlfriends, Wife, Kids
B.B. King had married two times in his lifetime. First, he got married to Martha Denton in November 1946. They got divorced in 1952. In 1958, he married Sue Hall. The marriage ended in 1966. Both of his marriage failed because of King’s high-pressure job. He had almost 250 performances in a year. He did not have any children from both of his marriages.
Outside his marriage, he had fathered around 15 children according to media reports. There were other reports which stated that his sperm count was too low to conceive those children. King lived with type 2 diabetes for more than last 20 years of his life. On 14th May 2015, King died due to vascular dementia. King was 89. His funeral took place on 30th May 2015 in Indianola.
Career, Awards & Nominations
King’s career began in 1949. He started recording songs with RPM Records. Sam Phillips, who founded the record label Sun Records, produced most of the early recordings of King. Later, King started his band with Millard Lee. He named the group as “The B.B. King Review.” King started to go on tours in many states of the United States. He performed in numerous theatres in Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, etc.
In the 1950s, B.B. King gained much popularity in the R&B music. His hits include ‘Bad Luck,’ ‘Sneaking Around’ etc. In 1956, King performed in 342 concerts. In the same year, King founded “Blue Boys Kingdom.” King had guest appeared in several TV shows such as “Touched by an Angel,” “The Cosby Show,” “Sesame Street” etc. He had received 15 ‘Grammy Awards’ in his lifetime. King had received “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award” as well.
B.B. King’s Net Worth & Salary in 2023
B.B. King had an estimated net worth of $30 million as of 2023. He had made this fortune from his career in the music industry. He had released more than 40 albums throughout his successful musical career.
B.B. King will always be remembered for his notable works. He has garnered a huge fan following all over the world. His name was added into “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame” in 1980. King received “Presidential Medal of Freedom” from the former U.S. President George W. Bush in December 2006.