In the 1940s, B.B. King was performing at a dance hall in Twist, Arkansas. During the performance, a fight broke out in the audience, and kerosene heaters that provided warmth to the venue were knocked over, causing a fire to start. King quickly gathered his belongings and, in the rush, left his guitar behind. After the fire was extinguished, he returned to the scene and found his guitar badly burned but still salvageable.
Feeling regretful about the incident, King decided to name the repaired guitar "Lucille" as a reminder of the near-fatal night and as a promise never to put it in jeopardy again. The name became symbolic for him, representing the value he placed on his guitars and the music he played.
Throughout his career, King owned several Gibson ES-355 guitars and named each of them Lucille in honor of the original one. Lucille became synonymous with his music, and it remains an iconic part of B.B. King's legacy.