There is extensive coverage already of news of the death of BB King. The BBC refer to the passing of “the king of the blues.” To Time magazine he was an ‘icon’ of the blues. Variety chooses, simply, ‘legend.’

King was 89 and died in Las Vegas. A 15-time Grammy winner who came from Mississippi he was as familiar to rock fans as he was fans of the blues, collaborating with U2 at the end of the 1980s bringing him a new rock audience. If there is one song he is generally known for it has to be ‘The Thrill Is Gone’, above in the video, the Rick Darnell/Roy Hawkins song King recorded many times first achieving success for King in 1969 and which won him his first Grammy. King recorded more than 50 albums and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. One of the very greatest guitarists, according to Rolling Stone, he played a Gibson ES-344 better known as ‘Lucille.’ Other honours included the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to King in 1990.