Thousands Turn Out To Bid Farewell To B.b. King

Devotees were given the chance to file past the coffin containing the body of the music veteran, who died on 14 May (15) aged 89, at the B.B. King Museum in Indianola, Mississippi on Friday (29May15).

They began queuing at 6am local time and more than 3,000 filed past the casket to pay tribute to King.

The public viewing came on the eve of his planned funeral in Indianola on Saturday. The service is to be held at the Bell Grove Missionary Baptist Church, before his casket is returned to the museum for a private burial.

The guitarist died after suffering a series of strokes, but officials in Nevada are investigating family claims King was poisoned by longtime associates. An attorney for King's estate has dismissed the allegations as "ridiculous".