BB King was the famous blues guitarist who owned a guitar named Lucille. He originally acquired two guitars with the same name after a fight broke out in a club over a woman also named Lucille, and he had to rescue them from the flames of the burning building. He continued to use one of those guitars for nearly 50 years until his death in 2015. The original model of Lucille has been re-created by Gibson Guitars as part of their BB King Signature Series.
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The History of the Lucille Guitar
The lucille guitar is named after a legendary blues singer and musician, B.B. King. Though the exact origin of the instrument’s name is not certain, it is thought that it was given to him as a tribute to two different women in his life who shared the same name: Lucille. The original story tells of how King was playing at an Arkansas night club when two men started fighting over a woman named Lucille who had been hired by one of them for the evening. In his attempt to separate them, King knocked over an oil stove and started a fire that engulfed the entire building – with Lucille’s possessions still inside it. As he left, King vowed never again to fight over a woman and decided to call his new Gibson 335 “Lucille” as an ode to those events which had almost cost him his life.
King made this guitar famous throughout his career as he strummed away on stage night after night with hits like “Three O’Clock Blues” and “How Blue Can You Get?” It quickly became synonymous with B.B. Even featuring on album covers such as 1965’s Live at Cook County Jail. Over time other models from brands such as Fender have been released under its namesake – including limited edition versions – but nothing has ever quite matched up to B.B.’S original prototype in terms of style or sound quality. It remains both a symbol of his genius and an iconic piece of rock history for generations to come.
B.B. King and His Beloved Lucille
A legendary blues musician, B.B. King, is known for his innovative sound and love of music as well as a beloved guitar that he named Lucille. Throughout the years, this guitar has been by King’s side during his performances and helped to define him as an artist throughout the world.
King was born in 1925 on a cotton plantation near Itta Bena, Mississippi and started playing the guitar at age twelve when he heard other musicians performing blues music. He quickly fell in love with the instrument and began learning from those around him including Robert Johnson, Lonnie Johnson and T-Bone Walker. From their teachings, King developed his own style which combined elements of all three and included an impressive vibrato technique as well as individual stringing techniques that were unheard of before him.
Lucille first appeared in 1949 while King was performing in Twist, Arkansas after two men started fighting over a woman who they both loved. In order to protect himself from flying bottles of kerosene or whiskey, King jumped onto the stage where he left Lucille behind after escaping unharmed out of fear that it would get destroyed by accident if the fight continued any longer than it had already gone on for. As soon as possible afterward, B.B purchased another guitar just like it but decided to call her Lucille so he could remember not only why she was special but also never take life for granted ever again – no matter how small things may seem at first glance – since we can lose everything important to us in an instant without even knowing about it beforehand.
Lucille’s Significance in Music History
The significance of the guitar named Lucille in music history cannot be understated. Dating back to 1949, this legendary instrument has been a part of some of the most iconic performances in music’s rich heritage. B.B King was the first musician associated with it, introducing Lucille as an integral part of his own electric blues sound during the 1950s and 1960s.
In addition to its initial association with B.B King and his stellar playing style, other influential artists have embraced Lucille over time for their own musical endeavors. These include renowned guitarist Albert Collins and contemporary bluesman Gary Clark Jr. Both of whom rely heavily on this vintage model as part of their signature sound. Even Eric Clapton famously adopted a “Lucille-style” Gibson ES-355 at one point throughout his career–a testament to just how much impact this single guitar has had on generations upon generations of musicians who aspire to its unique characteristics and range.
Certain features found within many models made by modern manufacturers have sought to replicate the same qualities that make Lucille so special; these include reverb, compression effects pedals and even resonators built into newer guitars designed specifically for blues players looking to achieve classic tone without ever having played an original version. Indeed, no matter where you look in today’s world of music, it is easy to find evidence that Lucille has left an everlasting mark–and will continue doing so well into the future.
How the Name “Lucille” Came to Be
The name “Lucille” has become an iconic symbol of the blues, having been famously used in one of B.B. King’s greatest hits. But how did this peculiar moniker come to be?
It turns out that the story behind this legendary guitar name is as unique as its namesake. It all began in a nightclub on the Mississippi Delta in 1949. During a heated performance between two rival musicians, a fight broke out and resulted in the club catching fire. While everyone rushed for safety, B.B King managed to save his beloved Gibson guitar from certain destruction, at which point he noticed two women leaving with each other instead of helping him – their names were both Lucille. In honor of these ladies’ actions (or lack thereof), B.B King named his guitar “Lucille” as a reminder to never let himself become too distracted by people or situations that could interfere with his music career again.
What followed was decades of memorable performances featuring Lucille playing some of B.B.’S most famous songs like “Sweet Little Angel” and “The Thrill Is Gone”. To this day, the unique story behind her namesake lives on through her place among rock & roll history – something only possible due to two women who left a burning building before their heroic rescuer ever had a chance to save them.
Famous Performances on the Lucille Guitar
Throughout the years, many famous performances have taken place with a guitar named Lucille. The iconic instrument has been the main focus of attention during some remarkable events that made history.
In 1973, B.B. King graced the stage with his beloved Lucille in San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom. During this memorable show, he performed some of his greatest hits such as “The Thrill Is Gone” and “Every Day I Have the Blues”. His bluesy strums on Lucille created a powerful performance that would never be forgotten by those who witnessed it live.
Almost two decades later, another legendary musician was seen playing Lucille at Los Angeles’ Great Western Forum – Eric Clapton. He amazed fans with virtuosic soloing and stellar vocals when he sang classic rock tunes like “Layla” and “Wonderful Tonight”. This amazing concert featured plenty of solos from him and other musicians which were highlighted by extraordinary riffs from none other than Lucille herself.
Today, various modern artists continue to pay homage to the greats before them by playing their own versions of songs on this unique instrument. Even though there are different styles of music today compared to what we heard in decades past, one thing remains constant – you can’t help but feel something special every time you hear someone play on a guitar known as Lucille.
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