B.B. King

It would be only appropriate for my next OVERCOMING THE ODDS article that I showcase a man who is now buried in his Hometown of Indianola, MS, the one and only B.B. King.  The Bluesman known as B.B. King was born Riley B. King on a cotton plantation near Indianola.  Raised by his maternal grandmother, he came a long way from where he came.  As much as a fan I am of B.B. King and Blues in General, this is not an article on his Musical Career or his whole life.  This is rather a look at how B.B. King rose from extreme poverty to achieve success and influence generation after generation of musicians.  Just to mention, his sound was rooted in the very blues he cut his teeth in the fields of the Mississippi Delta and in Memphis.  When King was 22, he hitchhiked to Memphis with just a little over 20 dollars in his pocket looking to make a name for himself.  According to an Article in Buzzfeed, he was "paid four cents for every album he made."  Fast forward tothe time of his passing in 2015, B.B. was a millionaire many times over.  This is not just a story of a poor Mississippi boy achieving success and touching millions of lives.  This is a story that is Purely American.  It's a story of Fulfilling the American Dream. Most importantly, it's a story of OVERCOMING THE ODDS B.B. King's Life and Music will be Remembered Forever.  R.I.P. B.B. King https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXsusJ787sU