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Music And Tears At BB King Memphis Procession

Thousands of people crowded the streets of Memphis to say farewell to blues musician BB King as his casket was driven to his final resting place.

Family and friends gathered for an emotional procession down Beale Street, a historic avenue lined with blues bars and restaurants.

A brass band marched before the hearse, playing When The Saints Go Marching In as mourners called out "BB".

In front of the hearse, a weeping Rodd Bland, son of the late blues singer Bobby "Blue" Bland, carried the latest iteration of Lucille, King's famous Gibson guitar.

King died on 14 May aged 89 at his home in Las Vegas.

His remains were flown to Memphis on Wednesday, where he first achieved fame as a singer and disc jockey known as the Beale Street Blues Boy in the 1940s.

From Memphis, his body will be driven down Route 61 - often dubbed "The Blues Highway" - to his hometown of Indianola, Mississippi, for a public viewing on Friday and burial on Saturday.

Nevada officials are conducting a homicide investigation into King's death after two of his daughters claimed he was poisoned by longtime associates.

A lawyer for King's estate has called the allegations unfounded.