Music world mourns death of B.B. King

New York

Blues legend B.B. King, whose crisp but powerful guitar licks made him among the instrument’s greatest masters and a towering influence over generations of musicians, has died at 89.

The world famous singer and guitarist, who began life on a plantation in Mississippi and was universally acclaimed as one of the best blues musicians of all time, had been receiving hospice care at his home. His death was announced on Facebook by his daughter, Claudette, who posted: “It is with great sadness that we relay that Blues legend BB King has died in Las Vegas at the age of 89.” She added: “Please remember him in your heart.”

“The blues has lost its king, and America has lost a legend,” said President Barack Obama, who recalled once being persuaded to sing “Sweet Home Chicago” at the White House with King.  “B.B. may be gone, but that thrill will be with us forever. And there’s going to be one killer blues session in heaven tonight,” Obama added.

Former president Bill Clinton -- who performed twice with King -- and Hillary Clinton in a statement mourned “a brilliant blues guitarist and a kind, good man.”

Artists across genres credited King as one of the defining forces in 20th-century music -- and recalled his famous geniality. The singer-songwriter Bryan Adams agreed: “One of the best blues guitarists ever, maybe the best. He could do more on one note than anyone.” King won 15 Grammys, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and was awarded the National Medal of Arts.

However, despite King’s decades of recognition, his final days were clouded by unseemly scenes amid an apparent dispute between his family and manager over his care.