The Fabled Journey of B.B. King and His Iconic Guitar, Lucille
In the world of blues music, few instruments hold as much significance as B.B. King's beloved guitar, "Lucille." Named after an incident that occurred in December 1949, this iconic guitar has become synonymous with the king of the blues himself.
The story of Lucille began in a juke joint in Twist, Arkansas, where a fire broke out. The fight was over a woman named Lucille, and the incident led B.B. King to name his guitar after her. The fire was caused by two men fighting and knocking over a flaming garbage pail half-filled with kerosene.
After the fire, B.B. King vowed never to play in a venue without a woman named Lucille present, to ensure such a tragedy would never happen again. And so, the name of his guitar was born.
B.B. King's guitar of choice was a curvy, semi-hollow body model made by Gibson, either an ES-330 or ES-355. In 1980, Gibson introduced a black ES-355 Thinline Dual Pickup Stereo Varitone model as B.B. King's signature guitar. This model featured a TP-6 fine-tuner tailpiece and "Lucille" spelled out in script on the headstock.
Over the years, Gibson has issued several different Lucille variants. The most notable feature of the introduced model was its lack of the traditional f-hole opening in the body cavity, a pragmatic decision made to limit feedback. This feature has contributed to the popularity of Lucille models, not just within the blues genre, but across various music styles.
Mat Koehler, vice president of product at Gibson Brands, stated that the lack of f-hole is the reason why Lucilles remain popular even outside of blues. He explained, "The lack of f-hole helps to limit feedback, which makes these guitars versatile and suitable for a wide range of music styles."
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of B.B. King's birth, Gibson is set to release a 100th anniversary edition of the Lucille model. The company has also announced a lower-priced Epiphone model as part of the anniversary collection, making the iconic guitar more accessible to a wider audience.
As we look forward to the release of these special edition Lucille models, we are reminded of the enduring legacy of B.B. King and his iconic guitar. Lucille, a name that represents not just a guitar, but a symbol of survival, resilience, and the power of music.
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