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B B King 'Highway Bound' 1953 78 rpm

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Added by vindheim
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Apologies for the rough sound on this much loved 78.
Riley B. King was born in 1926 on a cotton plantation near the city of Itta Bena Mississippi' He was raised by his grandmother, as a teenager he moved to Indianola working at a cotton gin, a machine that seperates cotton fibres from the seeds. His employer bought him his first guitar for $15 which he witheld wages till it was paid off.
He served in the US Army during WW2 but was released due to his ability to drive a tractor being essential to the ecconomy.
In 1943 King began playing guitar with the Famous St John's Gospel Singers.
In 1948 he performed on Sonny Boy Williamsons radio show in Memphis and gained a following.
He worked at WDIA as a singer and dj were he was given the name Beale Street Blues Boy which was shortened to Blues Boy and eventually B.B.
In 1949 he began recording for RPM records, many of his early sides were produced by Sm Phillips who later founded Sun Records.
King continued to record through the 50's becoming one of the biggest acts in R&B.
King died on 14th May 2015 aged 89.
Category
ELVIS
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