B.B. King attained fame the world over thanks to his role as one of the most influential blues guitarists ever, but his body will return to his humble Mississippi hometown for his burial after a ceremony in Memphis. His remains will be housed at the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola, MS.
"From a practical standpoint, we feel comfortable knowing his final resting place will receive perpetual care at the museum," said Dion Brown, the facility director, in a statement.
It will be a busy final week for the King. His body will be flown from his final home in Las Vegas to Memphis, where the guitarist first cut his teeth on Beale Street. A musical tribute is being organized at W.C. Handy Park, an iconic space on Beale Street (and nearby to the original B.B. King Blues club)...although it wasn't immediately made clear why King's body would be present for the event. It will then be transported to Indianola for a public viewing at the museum on May 29 and the funeral will be held at Bell Grove Missionary Baptist Church on May 30. The burial will be held privately for family and friends at the museum.
There will be a viewing in Las Vegas as well, being held at Palm Mortuary West on Friday. The manager of the facility warned that seating would not be available and no photography will be allowed.
King finally (and unofficially) retired from touring during 2014 after struggling with multiple ailments, including high blood pressure and complications from diabetes. Unfortunately the last few weeks of his life were clouded by an increasingly public battle over his guardianship, with a party led by several of his children battling for control of his estate with his longtime business manager LaVerne Toney.
The soul of a bluesman never really sleeps, if you buy into the lore of the Delta from whence King came. We think he deserves a moment of peace before his should gets to rambling again.
