Throngs expected to pay respects to blues legend B.B. King in Las Vegas

By John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times (TNS)

Friday, May 22, 2015 | 10:18 a.m.

Like loyal roadies scrambling about a stage, the staff at the Palm Mortuary west of the Strip rushed this week to ensure that B.B. King's last big public appearance comes off without a hitch.

They've cleaned the chapel carpet, mapped out security, researched their duties and answered the phone calls that haven't stopped coming from grieving music aficionados worldwide.

For fans, the thrill was gone along with their idol. On Friday, the body of blues legend King will lie in state as hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of fans file past the casket to pay their respects.

In his two decades in the business, mortuary manager Matthew Phillips has taken part in services for state politicians, while another Palm Mortuary branch in Las Vegas hosted the viewing for actor Tony Curtis.

But Matthews has never seen anything like this.

"B.B. King's death has made me realize just what a cultural icon he was to the entire nation, not just the music business," he said, sitting inside the mortuary in a crisp suit. "It's an honor to play a role in his final journey home."

King, a sharecropper's son dubbed the "King of the Blues" who named his favorite guitar Lucille, died May 14 from complications associated with his long battle with Type 2 diabetes. He had lived in Las Vegas for several years before his death at age 89.

From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, fans will be allowed to view the open casket before a private family funeral planned for Saturday at a nearby Palm chapel. King's body then will be flown to Mississippi, where burial services are planned for next week in Indianola on the grounds of the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center there.

Phillips said the funeral home began receiving hundreds of telephone calls from as far away as Japan last weekend, from fans wanting information on the viewing. "People are making travel arrangements for this event," he said.

One woman visited the mortuary this week. "She just wanted to talk about the influence King had on her life -- that she grew up on his music," Phillips recalled. "She said being at the viewing will be a very important part of her life."

Funeral home officials are prepared for long lines of mourners for King, born Riley B. King. He learned to play guitar as a boy and in 1947 hitchhiked to Memphis to launch a professional career that led from touring black bars and dance halls to headlining New York's Carnegie Hall. He eventually toured worldwide, performing up to 300 nights a year with his trademark Gibson guitars. He won 15 Grammys and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

His hits included "The Thrill is Gone," "Everyday I Have the Blues," "When Love Comes to Town" and "Lucille." Yet in an autobiography called "Blues All Around Me," King once complained how his music brought less respect than rock or jazz. "Being a blues singer," he wrote, "is like being black twice."

Since his death, accolades have come from musical artists around the world -- from guitarist Eric Clapton, from Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, from singer Gladys Knight. The Rolling Stones paid tribute to King during a Twitter Q&A with fans.

Calling King a true gentleman, band member Keith Richards wrote: "I shall miss him a lot. At least we have his records. Farewell, BB."

Mortuary director Phillips, who grew up in Southern California, said he was more of a Beach Boys fan in his youth. But King's guitar also graced his boyhood soundtrack.

"Everybody recognizes B.B. King," he said. "The moment you hear that opening of 'The Thrill is Gone,' you know that's the blues. You know that's how the music is supposed to be played."

Thought the Palm branch viewing chapel accommodates seating for 175, Phillips said the room would be cleared to make room for fans, who will be led in for a viewing in small groups. A video presentation of King's music also will be featured. Guests can leave flowers or cards in the lobby, he said.

"We'll need to keep the line moving but will give people time to say goodbye," he said. "From seven to 10 seconds."

Media and cameras will not be allowed in the chapel.

"We'll have security here, and if anyone pulls out a iPhone or camera from a pocket or purse, they'll be directed to put it away or leave," Phillips said.

He expects an emotional day Friday. "As a funeral director, you want to allow people an appropriate amount of goodbye," he said. "Whether it's for immediate family or an entire fan base."