The Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction November 2020

Lot #450:

B.B. King Signed “Lucille” Model Gibson Guitar

B.B. King has signed this "Lucille" model Gibson guitar in gold paint pen. Every great guitarist has a signature sound, but none have a more recognizable guitar than B.B. King’s beloved Lucille. And while B.B. King will forever be known as The King of the Blues, his unforgettable guitar has a legend all her own. According to this legend, King was playing at a dance hall in Arkansas in 1949 when a fight broke out. The fight led to a fire and the hall was evacuated, but King ran back inside to retrieve his Gibson guitar. He learned the next day that the 2 men who started the fight, who had in fact both perished in the blaze, had been fighting over a woman named Lucille. King named that first guitar Lucille, as a reminder to never make foolish decisions, like running into a burning building or fighting over a woman. Subsequently, every guitar he has owned since has been named Lucille. Gibson guitars now manufactures the B. B. King Lucille model under their Epiphone label, a worthy honor for one of the world’s most influential guitar-playing legends. This Gibson "Lucille” model guitar is black with a maple body and maple neck. The name B.B. King is inscribed in a gold plate on the neck, next to the word Lucille. B.B. King has signed the body of the guitar in Gold, a large clear signature that mimics King’s larger than life persona. Item comes in an Epiphone plush-lined hard case, emblazoned with the Epiphone logo on the front. Very good condition. Comes with a Gotta Have Rock & Roll™ Certificate of Authenticity.