There were cheers and tears at Saturday’s memorial service for blues legend B.B. King in Las Vegas.
With his family, friends and musicians Carlos Santana and Richie Sambora among those assembled, King received a standing ovation.
“Why don’t you put your hands together for the King of the Blues, B.B. King!” Pastor Pamela Myrtis Mason said during the service, which drew more than 350 people.
As the applause ended, his granddaughter Landra Williams described him as “the backbone of our family King.”
Several of King’s children and grandchildren spoke during the two-hour service.
The blues icon’s closed casket was surrounded by flowers and two of his guitars named Lucille, according to the Associated Press.
The legendary musician known for songs like “The Thrill Is Gone” and “Sweet Sixteen,” died on May 14 at age 89. He had long suffered from Type II diabetes.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, King was born on Sept. 16, 1925, in Mississippi. He was ranked sixth on Rolling Stone magazine’s 2011 list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
The influential musician was awarded 15 Grammys and received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987. In 1998, “The Thrill Is Gone” received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award, which is given to recordings of “qualitative or historical significance.”
Last October, King was forced to cancel eight gigs after falling ill from dehydration and exhaustion at a Chicago show.
King will long be remembered for his enviable legacy. Over the span of his career, he released more than 50 albums.