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B.B. King
ACTOR

B.B. King

Known for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air · Married... with Children · Spies Like Us

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.

Snapshot 2026-10-16

Born
Sep 16, 1925
Died
May 14, 2015
Birthplace
Itta Bena, Mississippi, USA
Known For
Acting

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.

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Known For

TVThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirPappy · 1990
★ 7.9
TVMarried... with Children
Married... with ChildrenStreet Singer · 1987
★ 7.7
MOVIESpies Like Us
Spies Like UsAce Tomato Agent · 1985
★ 6.2
TVThe Cosby Show
The Cosby ShowRiley Jackson · 1984
★ 7.0
MOVIEAmazon Women on the Moon
Amazon Women on the MoonB.B. King (segment "Blacks Without Soul") · 1987
★ 5.9
TVTouched by an Angel
Touched by an AngelB.B. King · 1994
★ 7.2
TVLate Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'BrienSelf - Musical Guest · 1993
★ 7.3
TVThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno3 eps · 1992
★ 5.3

Filmography

Movies

Wake at GenerationSelf
1968
Black WoodstockSelf
1969
Medicine Ball CaravanSelf
1971
Sing Sing ThanksgivingSelf
1972
George Carlin: The Real George CarlinSelf
1973
The Blues Under the SkinSelf
1973
Sing Sing ThanksgivingSelf
1974
Give My Poor Heart EaseSelf
1975
GM
Good Mornin’ BluesHost
1978
B.B. King - Austin City Limits 1982Musician - guitar, vocals
1982
B.B. King: Into the NightSelf
1985
Live AidSelf
1985
Spies Like UsAce Tomato Agent
1985
Amazon Women on the MoonB.B. King (segment "Blacks Without Soul")
1987
B.B. King & FriendsSelf
1987
U2: Rattle and HumSelf
1988
Albert King & B.B. King: Japan Blues CarnivalHimself
1989
Legends of Rock 'n' RollB.B. King
1989
U2: LovetownSelf
1989
All Day and All Night: Memories from Beale Street MusiciansSelf
1990
Garfield Gets a LifeVocals
1991
GuitarSelf
1991
Guitar Legends EXPO '92 at Sevilla - The Blues NightHimself
1991
Montreux Jazz Festival 1991Self
1991
B.B. King: Live At Montreux 1993Self
1993
Bluesland: A Portrait in American MusicSelf
1993
Gary Moore: Live BluesGuitar, Vocals
1993
Heart and SoulsHimself
1993
Willie Nelson: The Big Six-OSelf
1993
A Night to Die ForSelf
1995
B.B. King: Blues Summit
1995
A Tribute to Stevie Ray VaughanSelf
1996
When We Were KingsSelf
1996
Wired for Sound: A Guitar OdysseySelf
1997
B.B. King: Live In Africa '74Self
1998
Blues Brothers 2000Malvern Gasperon
1998
Blues Masters
1999
Pavarotti & Friends 99 for Guatemala and KosovoSelf
1999
The Jazz Channel Presents B.B. KingHimself
2000
The Ten Commandments of CreativitySelf
2000
All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live!Self
2001
B.B. King - The Blues Sounds of B.B. KingSinger
2001
B.B. King Live at Nick'sSelf
2001
Johnny Winter: Pieces & Bits
2001
BB King Sweet 16Self
2002
Sounds of MemphisSelf
2002
B.B. King: In ConcertSelf
2003
B.B. King: Live - Most Famous HitsSelf
2003
B.B. King: Live By RequestPerformer
2003
BB King Live at The Apollo
2003
Bluesy Entertainment: LiveSelf
2003
Johnny Winter: LiveSelf
2003
Muddy Waters: Can't Be SatisfiedSelf
2003
Red, White and BluesSelf
2003
RI
Rockin' in the USA
2003
The Road to MemphisSelf (archive footage)
2003
Antone's: Home of the BluesPerformer
2004
Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar FestivalSelf
2004
Genius. A Night for Ray CharlesSelf
2004
Lightning in a BottleSelf
2004
Live AidSelf
2004
RC
Ray Charles: Genius Loves CompanySelf
2004
The Story Of The BluesSelf
2004
CB
Chicago Blues Reunion: Buried Alive in the BluesSelf
2005
TF
The Five Keys to MasterySelf
2005
Buddy Guy Can't Quit The Blues
2006
Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007Self
2007
Rolling With the BluesSelf (archive footage)
2007
B.B. King: LiveSelf
2008
Jazz EvolutionSelf - Guitar
2008
Stars and Their Guitars: A History of the Electric GuitarSelf
2008
B.B. King | LiveSelf
2009
Blues at the BBCSelf
2009
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live - Whole Lotta Shakin'Self
2009
Soul PowerSelf (archive footage)
2009
The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ConcertsSelf
2009
VN
V.A. North Sea JazzSelf
2009
B.B. King Standing Room Only
2010
Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010Self
2010
B.B. King - Live at the Royal Albert Hall 2011Self
2012
B.B. King: The Life of RileySelf
2012
Louder Than Love: The Grande Ballroom StorySelf
2012
Born In ChicagoSelf
2013
Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2013Self
2013
In Performance BB King & The Guitar Legends
2014
John Mayer: Someday I'll FlySelf
2014
The Art of McCartneySelf
2014
Monochrome: Black, White & Blue
2017
B.B. King: On the RoadHimself
2018
Eric Clapton: Life in 12 BarsSelf (archive footage)
2018
Nueva York: A Musical History of Latin New YorkSelf (archive footage)
2021
Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)Self (archive footage)
2021
B.B. King: The King of the blues Stuttgart - 1997vocals guitar
2022
Mirror of BreathThanks
2025
BK
B.B. King & Raimundo Amador LiveHimself
B.B. King: Live at the Woodlands
UB
Untitled B.B. King DocumentarySelf (archive footage)

Television

The Ed Sullivan ShowSelf · 1 eps
1948
The GrammysSelf · 1 eps
1959
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf · 2 eps
1961
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf - Musical Guest · 6 eps
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 1 eps
1962
The Dick Cavett ShowSelf - Guest · 2 eps
1968
The Barbara McNair ShowSelf · 1 eps
1969
The Flip Wilson ShowSelf · 2 eps
1970
Great PerformancesSelf · 1 eps
1971
TP
The Pearl Bailey ShowSelf · 1 eps
1971
Sanford and Son1 eps
1972
The Midnight SpecialSelf · 2 eps
1972
The Kennedy Center HonorsSelf · 1 eps
1978
AT
America's Top 10Self · 1 eps
1980
CI
Christmas in WashingtonSelf · 1 eps
1982
The Cosby ShowRiley Jackson · 1 eps
1984
Married... with ChildrenStreet Singer · 1 eps
1987
BW
Big World Cafe1 eps
1989
Booker1 eps
1989
The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirPappy · 1 eps
1990
TeechUncle Isaac · 1 eps
1991
TeechTheme Song Performance
1991
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno3 eps
1992
Late Night with Conan O'BrienSelf - Musical Guest · 1 eps
1993
New York Undercover1 eps
1994
Touched by an AngelB.B. King · 1 eps
1994
Baywatch NightsB.B. King · 1 eps
1995
TFI Friday1 eps
1996
Classic AlbumsSelf · 1 eps
1997
AP
A Place of Our Own1 eps
1998
SoundstageSelf · 1 eps
2003
The BluesSelf · 1 eps
2003
SoundbreakingSelf · 2 eps
2016
Monochrome: Black, White & BlueSelf (archive footage) · 3 eps
2017

Photos

B.B. King photo
B.B. King photo
B.B. King photo
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