One plaid performance jacket owned and worn by "The King of The Blues", none other than the legendary B.B. King.

As B.B. King's popularity spread internationally, his choice of performance-worn clothing evolved from "off the rack" jackets to unique and flamboyant attire. When viewing this interesting black/white windowplane plaid jacket with black lapels, it is clear that this was worn during the years just as he had reached true stardom.

In other words, it is a transitional garment that he wore when reaching the height of his popularity. In later years and with advancing age, Mr. King went further by choosing even more flamboyant jackets such as the purple "Pope" jacket and the electric green jacket being offered in this event.

The plaid jacket seen here is consistent in fashion with the attire King wore in the late 1950s, similar to the one he wore in the famous photos of him with Elvis Presley taken backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in January 1958. 'The King of Rock" and "The King of the Blues" friendship has been eternalized in the recent Presley biopic film "Elvis". The jacket in this lot is not the jacket in the photo of Elvis and B.B. King.

B.B. King


B.B King, born Riley B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer, known worldwide as “The King of The Blues” and highly regarded as one of the most influential musicians in popular music history. B.B. King has defined the blues for a worldwide audience, mixing traditional blues, jazz, swing, mainstream pop and jump into a unique sound he has been referred to as “the single most important electric guitarist of the last half of the 20th century”.

He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shimmering vibrato and staccato picking that influenced many later blues electric guitar players including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Jeff Beck, Santana, SRV, John Mayer and thousands more. In B.B.’s words, “When I sing, I play in my mind; the minute I stop singing orally, I start to sing by playing Lucille”, referencing his beloved guitar he famously named after rescuing from a burning Twist, Arkansas dance hall in 1949.

In a career that spanned 8 decades, King rose to international fame and acclaim, amassing an unmatched legacy, playing an average of 250 shows per year, releasing over fifty albums and winning 15 Grammys. His numerous honors include The Presidential Medal of Freedom, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Kennedy Center Honors, Living Legend Medal from The Library of Congress, Inductions into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Blues Hall of Fame, and honorary doctorates in Music from Yale University, Brown University, and Berklee College of Music. In 2011, Rolling Stone ranked King at No. 6 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.

This is an online only sale. Items may be viewed upon appointment in New York City.

Notice to bidders: More detailed condition reports and additional photographs are available by request. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is in excellent condition. Please message us through the online bidding platform or call Guernsey's at 212-794-2280 to request a more thorough condition report.