B.B. King hospitalised in Las Vegas: Blues legend, 89, suffers health emergency

His touring schedule remained active until he cancelled a string of scheduled appearances in October due to ill health

B.B. King has been rushed to hospital in Las Vegas.

Although it is as of yet unclear his exact condition, the 89-year-old blues icon was admitted to a medical facility over the weekend following an emergency related to his on-going issues with diabetes.

His publicist confirmed the news to the Los Angeles Times.

King, a spokesperson for diabetes awareness, was diagnosed with Type II diabetes over 20 years ago. He even starred in an advert for OneTouch Ultra, a blood-glucose monitor, in 2011.

B.B. King is frequently ranked among the Top 10 guitar players of all time.

His touring schedule remained active until he cancelled a string of scheduled appearances in October due to ill health and exhaustion.

“I think I've done the best I could have done,” he told the Guardian in 2012.

“But I keep wanting to play better, go further. There are so many sounds I still want to make, so many things I haven't yet done. When I was younger I thought maybe I'd reached that peak. But I'm 86 now, and if I make it through to next month, I'll be 87. And now I know it can never be perfect, it can never be exactly what it should be, so you got to keep going further, getting better.”