On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became known worldwide as B.B. King, he was Riley B. King, a young musician working the radio circuit in Memphis. Over time, his blues style, marked by precise bends and expressive vibrato, influenced rock, jazz, and rhythm and blues artists alike.

With his guitar Lucille in hand, B.B. King developed a tone and phrasing that set him apart from other electric guitar players and helped earn him the title “King of the Blues.” Here to tell the story is Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Daniel de Visé, author of the first in-depth biography of B.B. in almost 30 years: King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King.

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