B.B. King

Acting•Born September 16, 1925•Died May 14, 2015 (age 89)•Itta Bena, Mississippi, USA

Biography

Riley B. King, known as B.B. King, was an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter acclaimed for his expressive singing and fluid, complex guitar playing. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at #3 on its list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

Known For

7.5

Filmography

2026

John Shearer: American Moments

as Self (archive image)

Movie

2022

B.B. King: The King of the blues Stuttgart - 1997

as vocals guitar

Movie

2021

Nueva York: A Musical History of Latin New York

as Self (archive footage)

Movie

2021

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

as Self (archive footage)

Movie

2018

B.B. King: On the Road

as Himself

Movie

2018

Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars

as Self (archive footage)

Movie

2017

Monochrome: Black, White & Blue

Movie

2017

Monochrome: Black, White & Blue

as Self (archive footage)

2016

Soundbreaking

as Self

2014

The Art of McCartney

as Self

Movie

2014

John Mayer: Someday I'll Fly

as Self

Movie

2014

In Performance BB King & The Guitar Legends

Movie

2013

Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2013

as Self

Movie

2013

Born In Chicago

as Self

Movie

2012

B.B. King: The Life of Riley

as Self

Movie

2012

Louder Than Love: The Grande Ballroom Story

as Self

Movie

2012

B.B. King - Live at the Royal Albert Hall 2011

as Self

Movie

2010

B.B. King Standing Room Only

Movie

2010

Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010

as Self

Movie

2009

The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts

as Self

Movie

2009

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live - Whole Lotta Shakin'

as Self

Movie

2009

V.A. North Sea Jazz

as Self

Movie

2009

Soul Power

as Self (archive footage)

Movie

2009

Blues at the BBC

as Self

Movie

2009

B.B. King | Live

as Self

Movie

2008

B.B. King: Live

as Self

Movie

2008

Stars and Their Guitars: A History of the Electric Guitar

as Self

Movie

2008

Jazz Evolution

as Self - Guitar

Movie

2007

Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007

as Self

Movie

2007

Rolling With the Blues

as Self (archive footage)

Movie

2006

Buddy Guy Can't Quit The Blues

Movie

2005

The Five Keys to Mastery

as Self

Movie

2004

Live Aid

as Self

Movie

2004

Genius. A Night for Ray Charles

as Self

Movie

2004

Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company

as Self

Movie

2004

The Story Of The Blues

as Self

Movie

2004

Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival

as Self

Movie

2004

Lightning in a Bottle

as Self

Movie

2004

Antone's: Home of the Blues

as Performer

Movie

2003

Rockin' in the USA

Movie

2003

B.B. King: Live - Most Famous Hits

as Self

Movie

2003

Johnny Winter: Live

as Self

Movie

2003

Red, White and Blues

as Self

Movie

2003

The Blues

as Self

2003

B.B. King: In Concert

as Self

Movie

2003

Bluesy Entertainment: Live

as Self

Movie

2003

B.B. King: Live By Request

as Performer

Movie

2003

Soundstage

as Self

2003

The Road to Memphis

as Self (archive footage)

Movie

2003

BB King Live at The Apollo

Movie

2003

Muddy Waters: Can't Be Satisfied

as Self

Movie

2002

Sounds of Memphis

as Self

Movie

2002

BB King Sweet 16

as Self

Movie

2001

Johnny Winter: Pieces & Bits

Movie

2001

All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live!

as Self

Movie

2001

B.B. King - The Blues Sounds of B.B. King

as Singer

Movie

2001

B.B. King Live at Nick's

as Self

Movie

2000

The Jazz Channel Presents B.B. King

as Himself

Movie

2000

The Ten Commandments of Creativity

as Self

Movie

1999

Pavarotti & Friends 99 for Guatemala and Kosovo

as Self

Movie

1999

Blues Masters

Movie

1998

B.B. King: Live In Africa '74

as Self

Movie

1998

Blues Brothers 2000

as Malvern Gasperon

Movie

1998

A Place of Our Own

1997

Wired for Sound: A Guitar Odyssey

as Self

Movie

1997

Classic Albums

as Self

1996

When We Were Kings

as Self

Movie

1996

A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan

as Self

Movie

1996

TFI Friday

1995

Baywatch Nights

as B.B. King

1995

B.B. King: Blues Summit

Movie

1995

A Night to Die For

as Self

Movie

1994

Touched by an Angel

as B.B. King

1994

New York Undercover

1993

Bluesland: A Portrait in American Music

as Self

Movie

1993

B.B. King: Live At Montreux 1993

as Self

Movie

1993

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

as Self - Musical Guest

1993

Heart and Souls

as Himself

Movie

1993

Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O

as Self

Movie

1993

Gary Moore: Live Blues

as Guitar, Vocals

Movie

1992

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

1991

Guitar Legends EXPO '92 at Sevilla - The Blues Night

as Himself

Movie

1991

Teech

as Uncle Isaac

1991

Montreux Jazz Festival 1991

as Self

Movie

1991

Guitar

as Self

Movie

1990

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

as Pappy

1990

All Day and All Night: Memories from Beale Street Musicians

as Self

Movie

1989

U2: Lovetown

as Self

Movie

1989

Booker

1989

Big World Cafe

1989

Legends of Rock 'n' Roll

as B.B. King

Movie

1989

Albert King & B.B. King: Japan Blues Carnival

as Himself

Movie

1988

U2: Rattle and Hum

as Self

Movie

1987

Amazon Women on the Moon

as B.B. King (segment "Blacks Without Soul")

Movie

1987

B.B. King & Friends

as Self

Movie

1987

Married... with Children

as Street Singer

1985

Spies Like Us

as Ace Tomato Agent

Movie

1985

Live Aid

as Self

Movie

1985

B.B. King: Into the Night

as Self

Movie

1984

The Cosby Show

as Riley Jackson

1982

Christmas in Washington

as Self

1982

B.B. King - Austin City Limits 1982

as Musician - guitar, vocals

Movie

1980

America's Top 10

as Self

1978

The Kennedy Center Honors

as Self

1978

Good Mornin’ Blues

as Host

Movie

1975

Give My Poor Heart Ease

as Self

Movie

1974

Sing Sing Thanksgiving

as Self

Movie

1973

The Blues Under the Skin

as Self

Movie

1973

George Carlin: The Real George Carlin

as Self

Movie

1972

The Midnight Special

as Self

1972

Sanford and Son

1972

Sing Sing Thanksgiving

as Self

Movie

1971

Medicine Ball Caravan

as Self

Movie

1971

Great Performances

as Self

1971

The Pearl Bailey Show

as Self

1970

The Flip Wilson Show

as Self

1969

The Barbara McNair Show

as Self

1969

Black Woodstock

as Self

Movie

1968

The Dick Cavett Show

as Self - Guest

1968

Wake at Generation

as Self

Movie

1962

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self - Musical Guest

1962

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self (archive footage)

1962

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self

1961

The Mike Douglas Show

as Self

1959

The Grammys

as Self

1948

The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self

—

B.B. King & Raimundo Amador Live

as Himself

Movie

—

B.B. King: Live at the Woodlands

Movie

Personal Info

DepartmentActing

BirthdaySeptember 16, 1925

Day of DeathMay 14, 2015

Place of BirthItta Bena, Mississippi, USA

Popularity0.9