Blues singer and guitarist BB King has died aged 89 in his Las Vegas, his lawyer has said.
Brent Bryson said King died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Las Vegas.
The one-time farmhand brought new fans to the blues and influenced a generation of musicians with his heartfelt vocals and soaring guitar on songs such as The Thrill Is Gone.
Born in Mississippi, the singer is known as the "King of the Blues" and is considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time, with artists such as Eric Clapton citing him as an influence.
King sold millions of records worldwide and was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
King played a Gibson guitar that he affectionately called Lucille.
He was awarded his 15th Grammy in 2009 in the traditional blues album category for One Kind Favour.
Earlier this month, King said he was in hospice care at his month.
In April, he was taken to hospital after suffering from dehydration as a complication of diabetes.
King left shortly after and said he was “feeling much better” at the time.
Last October, King was forced to cancel eight live performances after falling ill on stage in Chicago.
He was diagnosed with dehydration and suffering from exhaustion.
Agencies