Wednesday, July 15, 2026

The Legend is Gone: B. B. King Dies at Age 89

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B. B. King died late last night in Las Vegas. He was 89. He won 15 Grammy Awards. But more importantly, he left an incredible legacy and a canon of work that will continue to influence musicians for ages. I had a great moment once with BB, on the stage at Radio City Music Hall. There was a break during the taping of Martin Scorsese’s blues documentary. I was talking to Bonnie Raitt, and BB, who did not know who I was from a hole in the wall, motioned for me to get Bonnie’s attention. She came over, and he said, “I just want you know you’re the best slide guitarist I’ve ever heard.” Wow. Bonnie was startled and grateful. The King had bestowed this honor on her. And he was happy to do it. Now that BB is dead, let’s just sit back and remember his incredible gift.

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman is the founder and editor-in-chief of Showbiz411. He wrote the FOX411 column on FoxNews.com from 1999 to 2009, where he covered Michael Jackson, and previously wrote the "Intelligencer" column at New York magazine in the mid-1990s, where he covered the O.J. Simpson trial. He also edited Fame magazine. His bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, Vogue, Details, and the Miami Herald. He is a voting member of the Critics Choice Awards (Film and Television branches), and his movie reviews are tracked by Rotten Tomatoes. With D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, he co-produced the 2002 documentary "Only the Strong Survive," which screened at Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

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