Five pages of typed lyrics by B.B. King and frequent collaborator Fats Washington.

1. "I Needed You"
2. "Broken Vows"
3. "Don't Let it Shock You"
4. "Getting Rid of You"
5. "Lil' Darling"

Further Details:

1. "I Needed You" - Typed lyrics on front and verso with two handwritten notes in blue ink, including King's signature.

2. "Broken Vows" - Typed lyrics with handwritten title in pencil written on the lower portion of the page by B.B. King. Recorded on "Blues on the Bayou" album under the title " Broken Promise."

3. "Don't Let It Shock You" - Typed lyrics by B.B. King. Recorded as a "bonus-track" on the 2003 reissue of B.B. King's 1963 album "B.B. King" released by Ace Records.

4. "Getting Rid of You" Typed lyrics by B.B. King and Fats Washington for Little "M" Publishing.

5. "Lil' Darling" -- Typed lyrics by B.B. King and Fats Washington for Little "M" Publishing.

Below are links to the above songs for your listening pleasure:

"Broken Vows": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUVYDCo91TE
"Don't Let it Shock You": https://music.apple.com/gb/album/b-b-king/590098506

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.