B.B. Cunningham
B.B. Cunningham (born Blake Baker Cunningham Jr., April 6, 1942—October 14, 2012[1][2]) was an American rock Musician. He was the older brother of Box Tops member Bill Cunningham.
B.B. Cunningham | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Blake Baker Cunningham Jr. |
| Also known as | B.B. Cunningham |
| Born | April 6, 1942 Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.A. |
| Died | October 14, 2012 (aged 70) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A. |
| Genres | Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Bass guitarist |
| Instrument(s) | Bass guitar |
| Years active | 1956-2012 |
| Formerly of | The Hombres |
Career
Cunningham joined Memphis Musician's Union in 1956, aged fourteen.[2] He was the bassist for the Memphis band The Hombres, a garage rock act known for their 1967 song Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out).
Cunningham joined the touring band for Jerry Lee Lewis in 1997.[2] Blake released a solo album titled “Hangin’ In” in 2003.[3]
Personal life and death
Cunningham was born in Jackson, Mississippi in 1942. His younger brother Bill (born 1950) is a member of the pop rock group The Box Tops, known for their number one song The Letter.[2]
On the night of October 14, 2012, at around 2am, Cunningham was working as a security guard outside of an apartment complex, when he was shot and killed during a shootout in Memphis, Tennessee.[4] He was 70. According to reports, Cunningham had overheard shooting, and went to investigate. A sixteen-year-old boy was also killed along with Blake.[4]
References
- "Artist: B.B. Cunningham | SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- "B.B. Cunningham". Discogs. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- "Jerry Lee Lewis bandmate BB Cunningham Jr shot dead". BBC News. 2012-10-15. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- "B.B. Cunningham Jr., of Hombres & Jerry Lee Lewis, Dies in Shootout". Billboard. Associated Press. 2012-10-15. Retrieved 2023-06-30.