B.B. King - The Best Of The Kent Singles 1958-1971 (2000)

Universally hailed as the king of the blues, the legendary B.B. King
was without a doubt the single most important electric guitarist of
the last half of the 20th century. His bent notes and staccato
picking style influenced legions of contemporary bluesmen, while his
gritty and confident voice - capable of wringing every nuance from
any lyric - provided a worthy match for his passionate playing.

Between 1951 and 1985, King notched an impressive 74 entries on
Billboard's R&B charts, and he was one of the few full-fledged blues
artists to score a major pop hit when his 1970 smash "The Thrill Is
Gone" crossed over to mainstream success (engendering memorable
appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and American Bandstand). After
his hit-making days, he partnered with such musicians as Eric
Clapton and U2 and managed his own acclaimed solo career, all the
while maintaining his immediately recognizable style on the electric
guitar.