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'King of Blues' B.B. King dies at 89

May 15, 2015

Legendary Blues singer and guitarist B.B. King has died in Las Vegas at the age of 89, his attorney has confirmed. King, who was hospitalized last month for diabetes, had influenced a generation of rock musicians.

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US blues legend B.B. King performs during the 43rd Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, in this file picture taken July 12, 2009 (Photo: REUTERS/Valentin Flauraud)
Image: Reuters/V. Flauraud

King was briefly hospitalized in April after he suffered from dehydration related to his protracted illness. The Blues legend was diagnosed with diabetes in the 1980s. He was being treated at home at the time of his death.

King has been credited with brining the Blues genre to the mainstream and influencing a number of acclaimed guitarists such as Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

The fabled musician sold millions of records worldwide during his career. He was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2003, "Rolling Stone" magazine put King third in its list seeking the "Greatest Guitarist of All Time." He was awarded his 15th Grammy in 2009 for the album "One Kind Favor."

King was caught in a tug of war between his children and longtime manager, Laverne Toney, over his finances. Three of King's eleven surviving children accused the manager of stealing his money and not allowing them to visit their father. However, a Las Vegas court ruled last week it found no evidence of King being abused, and that Toney should remain in charge of King's affairs.

shs/msh (AP, Reuters, AFP)