Press Preview: $15 Million B.B. King Museum Opening

Press Preview: $15 Million B.B. King Museum Opening

 INDIANOLA, Miss., Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ --    WHO:       B.B. King   WHAT:      Opens the B.B. King Museum   WHERE:     Indianola, Miss. (his hometown)   WHEN:      THURS., SEPT. 11              10AM      Media Tour              12 Noon   Media Lunch              1PM       Ribbon cutting with B.B.              1:30PM    Media Q&A with B.B.    

Construction has been completed for the $15 million B.B. King Museum (www.bbkingmuseum.org), set to officially open Saturday (Sept. 13).

It's a belated 83rd birthday gift, if you will, for Riley B. King, best known as "The King of the Blues."

The blues great and 14-time GRAMMY(R) winner is renowned for his facile playing on the guitar famously known as "Lucille."

The project includes the restoration of Mississippi's last brick gin mill, where he once worked, as part of the 2.3-acre complex in Indianola, Miss., near King's birthplace.

Veteran museum executive Connie Gibbons is the museum's permanent director.

Why Indianola, Miss.?

According to King, "They asked to do it, and it's where my roots are. Maybe it's the same reason I go back year after year to do a free homecoming concert - there's a sense of place that's very powerful and I hope it can make a difference for the children of the Mississippi Delta."

Different areas of the complex, to be developed and opened in two phases, feature various aspects of King's 60-year career, many narrated and presented thru interviews and recordings by King himself, including his difficult childhood in the Mississippi Delta and the early days in Memphis, where he launched his career in clubs and on local radio.

A replica of the WDIA radio studios in Memphis, where the indefatigable musician discovered his first real success, will also be housed at the museum.

The state of Mississippi pledged $2 million in state funds for the project.

Many performers over the years have been influenced by King's trademark guitar style including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and George Harrison.

   For BB King:   Jerry Brown, Jerry Digney   323 993 3000   Cell, 323 547 7956;  818 693 1087   jbrown@solterspr.com   jerry@solterspr.com  

PRNewswire -- Sept. 8
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Source: B.B. King Museum

Web site: http://www.bbkingmuseum.org/

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Profile: International Entertainment