ROMANS: Music fans around the world waking to sad news this morning, blues legend B.B. King has died at the age of 89 in his sleep at home in Las Vegas. CNN's Stephanie Elam has a look back at his 60-year career.</s>STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's hard to imagine the blues without B.B. King. The legendary blues man released over 50 albums with hit songs such as "The Thrill Is Gone" and "Let The Good Times Roll." Born Riley B. King in Mississippi, he worked as a tractor driver in the cotton fields before embarking on his musical career. He began recording in the 1940s and became known as Blues Boy King and then more simply B.B. King. In 1956, at the height of his popularity, he played an astonishing 342 one-night stands. He continued a rigorous touring schedule into his 80s. King's persistence and passion for the blues paid off winning 15 Grammys.</s>B.B. KING: It feels very, very good to go on stage whether you win a Grammy or not.</s>ELAM: Throughout the years, King worked with various artists like rockers U2 on the song "When Love Comes To Town" and with Eric Clapton on the album "Riding with the King."</s>KING: You get a chance to learn a lot of great things from people that have so much going for them today.</s>ELAM: In 1987, he was inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame and a spot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990. He was rarely seen without his faithful Gibson guitar, Lucille. The gifted guitarist became the first blues musician to be honored with the Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995. President George W. Bush also honored King in 2006 with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his musical contributions. King's health was sometimes a concern since he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in his early 60s. In 2012, President Obama hosted a concert celebrating blues music. B.B. King was one of the featured performers.</s>ELAM: With a career spanning over 50 years, B.B. King let the good times roll.
Blues Icon B.B. King Dies