B. B. King

2 3.5

An American guitar player and singer famous for blues music

proper noun
/bi bi kɪŋ/

: B. B. King

The legacy of B. B. King continues to live on through his timeless songs and performances.

Examples

Did you listen to B. B. King's latest album?
The soulful guitar solos of B. B. King have inspired generations of blues artists.
I once saw B. B. King perform live, and it was an unforgettable experience.
Many musicians credit B. B. King as a major influence on their sound.
Many consider B. B. King the king of blues.
B. B. King is celebrated as a pioneer of the blues genre, influencing countless musicians worldwide.
Many fans regard B. B. King as one of the greatest guitarists in music history.

Synonyms

Riley B King

vsB. B. King

1 5.8

A US blues guitar player and singer called B.B. King who is known for guitar playing full of feeling

is the more familiar stage name used when referring to the same musician

Surface Forms

B. B. King main

Morphology

B. + B. + king

This is a proper name composed of initials plus the noun 'king'; the referential identity (a specific blues guitarist) cannot be derived from knowing the constituents. The initials 'B.' are non-lexical and 'king' only indicates a title, so a B1 learner who knows the words would not infer the MWE's biographical meaning.

Etymology

B. B. King comes from his early nickname 'Blues Boy' when he sang as a young musician on Beale Street in Memphis. People shortened 'Blues Boy' to the letters B. B., and that short name stayed with him, so today B. B. King is the famous name of the blues singer and guitar player.