B.B. King was a legendary blues guitarist and singer born on a plantation in 1925. He learned to play blues guitar from his cousin and started performing on Beale Street in Memphis under the name "Beale Street Blues Boy" before adopting the stage name "B.B. King." King inspired generations of musicians over his long career, during which he won 15 Grammys and received the National Medal of Arts, and was praised by musicians like Eric Clapton and Bono for keeping the blues alive.