Tickets to see legendary blues guitarist Riley “Blues Boy” King – better known as the great B.B. King – on May 16 go on sale this Saturday at 10 a.m.

The UCSB Arts & Lectures-hosted concert at Arlington Theatre is part of King’s 80th Birthday Celebration Tour. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show can be purchased by phone at (805) 893-3535 or (805) 963-4408, or at the Arts & Lectures Ticket Office or the Arlington Ticket Agency located at 1317 State Street. Tickets are $25 for UCSB students and $100, $75, $60 and $45 for the general public.

According to Arts & Lectures Senior Writer George Yatchisin, the Arlington Theatre boasts over 2,000 seats – all of which he expects to sell out quickly.

For over half a century, B.B. King has sung the blues, releasing 36 albums. He has garnered critical acclaim, earning 13 Grammy Awards, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and honorary doctorate degrees from five different universities. His biggest hit to date is the 1970’s “The Thrill is Gone.”

As he turned 80 in September, King released an album titled 80 that features duets with Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow and John Mayer, among other big stars.

King will be joined by his guitar “Lucille.” King has given each guitar he has ever played with the same moniker since 1949, after his guitar was almost destroyed in a club fire that began during a brawl over a woman named Lucille.

Since this is supposed to be King’s last international tour, Yatchisin expects that the set list will be “looking through his whole career.”