Memphis To Honor B.B. King In Upcoming 100th Birthday Celebration

The late blues legend B.B. King performs his 10,000th concert at B.B. KIng Blues Club & Grill in Times Square on April 18, 2006. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

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It’s been a little over a decade since the death of B.B. King, but his legacy lives on through his music, his influence on generations of guitarists that followed, and his beloved city of Memphis.

Born to sharecropper parents in Mississippi, King would lose his mother and grandmother at a young age – forcing him to take to the streets to play music by the age of ten. He eventually hitchhiked to Memphis, got his musical start, through hard work and determination carved out his own musical style, and would go on to become one of the greatest blues musicians of all time.

The man who gave us classics like “Three O’clock Blues,” “The Thrill is Gone,” and “When Love Comes to Town” would have turned 100 years old this month. The monumental birthday offered the perfect opportunity to celebrate his life and legacy.

“These celebrations serve as a time to pay tribute to the impact B.B. King had on Memphis and the world, says Kevin Kane, President and CEO of Memphis tourism. “B.B. King helped put Memphis on the map. His legacy lives on as the King of the Blues, far beyond his 100^th birthday.”

Organizers have planned two days of celebration – both centered around live music.

The first is set for Sunday, September 14^th from 2pm to 6pm on Beale Street. It’s a family-friendly festival open to the public. Look for a long list of performers to include DJ Stan Bell, Stax Music Academy, Beale Street Flippers, and many others.

The second takes place two days later on September 16th. This is a ticketed event held inside B.B. King’s Blues Club at the corner of Beale Street. The iconic club opened in 1991 as a joint project between King and the late Tommy Peters.

Peters’ daughter, Sara Fay Egan, is CEO of Beale Street Blues Company.

“I was in 4^th grade when my father opened BB King’s on Beale Street,” she recalls. “He was a businessman, not a restauranter, but he loved music. He partnered with BB King and although they were an unlikely pair, they shared a lot of the same values and bonded over the music.”

The two men would become close friends.

Egan says the Tuesday night event will feature an array of performers including King’s oldest daughter, Shirley King.

“It’s going to be very special to have her performing there along with legends like Carla Thomas, Bobby Rush, others. And David Porter who started Stax Records is going to emcee the event. So, having all of these people onstage together is going to make it a once-in-a-lifetime show.”

King’s daughter, a performer in her own right, didn’t give away her entire set list but mentioned a couple of blues favorites she’ll include.

“I’m doing “Rock Me Baby,” then I’m with the B.B. King All Stars so that’s a good clue to something very exciting that could happen. And they also asked if I would do “Wang Dang Doodle.”

She’s excited at the thought of everyone coming together to honor her father who gave so much to the world.

And the birthday celebration is even more meaningful in that she and Egan, the daughters of the two men who created the club all those years ago, are doing it together.

Egan says it’s important to educate younger generation about the blues, its history, and the legendary artists behind it. And while both King and her dad are gone, the club will continue to do that through special events like the birthday celebration, but also on a day-to-day basis. B.B. King’s serves as both a club and restaurant offering southern style cuisine, live music seven days a week at lunch and dinner, and photos and memorabilia dating back to days gone by.

“There’s everything from the exposed brick walls to the wood floors and the décor with B.B.’s original Lucille guitar hanging on the wall. And with the music, you come in and whether it’s Friday at lunch and there’s an authentic blues trio, or at night when we’ve got the All Stars house which has been with us for so long. They’re really a staple and a lot of fun.”

So, even as Memphis gears up for the 100^th birthday celebration, it’s good to know B.B. King is always honored here.

“B.B. King’s music echoes far beyond the blues – it’s the heartbeat of American cultural heritage,” Egan says. “We celebrate not just the sound, but the legacy of storytelling, soul, and Southern roots that shaped generations. We invite everyone – from Memphis to the coasts – to witness where history still plays live.”

At one time there were B.B. King’s Blues Clubs in various American cities. The only two now are the original club in Memphis and one in Montgomery, Alabama.