Riley B. King was born on Sept. 16, 1925, in Itta Bena, near Indianola, Miss. The earliest influence on his singing was gospel music that he heard in church. To his own impassioned vocal calls, King played distinctive, single-string guitar responses; his guitar style was influenced by T-Bone Walker, by Delta blues players (including his cousin Bukka White), and by such jazz guitarists as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian. He worked for a time as a disc jockey in Memphis, Tenn., where he acquired the name B.B. (for Blues Boy) King. In 1951 he made a hit record of “Three O'Clock Blues,” which led to virtually continuous tours of clubs and theaters throughout the country. He often played 300 or more one-night stands a year with his 13-piece band. A long succession of hits, including “Every Day I Have the Blues,” “Sweet Sixteen,” and “The Thrill Is Gone,” enhanced his popularity. By the late 1960s rock guitarists acknowledged his influence, and they introduced King and his guitar, Lucille, to a wider audience. King's autobiography, Blues All Around Me, with David Ritz, was published in 1996.