We lost a blues legend today.

Following a long bout of diabetes-related illnesses over the past few years, BB King passed away in his sleep today, according to his lawyer. The singer/guitarist was 89 years old.

Known as the King of the Blues, King started his career in the 1940s, and soon became the face of the style with hits such as “Rock Me Baby” and “Lucille.”

His career spanned decades, and even as he battled his illness, he rarely left the stage. In October 2014, he was forced to cancel the last leg of his tour in the US due to his health issues.

Before his health took a turn for the worse, King reportedly played at least 100 shows a year, even in his final years. Countless artists list him as a major influence, including fellow guitarists Eric Clapton and Duane Allman. He left his mark on the blues genre forever.

We reported earlier this month that King had been hospitalized, allegedly after he had had a heart attack. It is unclear what the cause of death is at this time, but King had a history of short illnesses due to his diabetes diagnosis.

We will update this article as we find out more about BB King’s passing.

Take a look at some of the blues legend’s best-known works below: