horizontal bar

JANICE'S BLUES ALLEY

PRESENTS


ALBERT KING



horizontal bar

Albert King

Biography Discography Videos

WEB PAGES

WikipediaWikipedia


horizontal bar


Albert King is truly a "King of the Blues," although he doesn't hold that title (B.B. does). Along with B.B. and Freddie King, Albert King is one of the major influences on blues and rock guitar players. Without him, modern guitar music would not sound as it does -- his style has influenced both black and white blues players from Otis Rush and Robert Cray to Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It's important to note that while almost all modern blues guitarists seldom play for long without falling into a B.B. King guitar cliché, Albert King never does -- he's had his own style and unique tone from the beginning.

Albert King plays guitar left-handed, without re-stringing the guitar from the right-handed setup; this "upside-down" playing accounts for his difference in tone, since he pulls down on the same strings that most players push up on when bending the blues notes. King's massive tone and totally unique way of squeezing bends out of a guitar string has had a major impact. Many young white guitarists -- especially rock & rollers -- have been influenced by King's playing, and many players who emulate his style may never have heard of Albert King, let alone heard his music. His style is immediately distinguishable from all other blues guitarists, and he's one of the most important blues guitarists to ever pick up the electric guitar.

Born in Indianola, MS, but raised in Forrest City, AR, Albert King (born Albert Nelson) taught himself how to play guitar when he was a child, building his own instrument out of a cigar box. At first, he played with gospel groups -- most notably the Harmony Kings -- but after hearing Blind Lemon Jefferson, Lonnie Johnson, and several other blues musicians, he solely played the blues. In 1950, he met MC Reeder, who owned the T-99 nightclub in Osceola, AR. King moved to Osceola shortly afterward, joining the T-99's house band, the In the Groove Boys. The band played several local Arkansas gigs besides the T-99, including several shows for a local radio station.

After enjoying success in the Arkansas area, King moved to Gary, IN, in 1953, where he joined a band that also featured Jimmy Reed and John Brim. Both Reed and Brim were guitarists, which forced King to play drums in the group. At this time, he adopted the name Albert King, which he assumed after B.B. King's "Three O'Clock Blues" became a huge hit. Albert met Willie Dixon shortly after moving to Gary, and the bassist/songwriter helped the guitarist set up an audition at Parrot Records. King passed the audition and cut his first session late in 1953. Five songs were recorded during the session and only one single, "Be on Your Merry Way" / "Bad Luck Blues," was released; the other tracks appeared on various compilations over the next four decades. Although it sold respectably, the single didn't gather enough attention to earn him another session with Parrot. In early 1954, King returned to Osceola and re-joined theIn the Groove Boys; he stayed in Arkansas for the next two years.

In 1956, Albert moved to St. Louis, where he initially sat in with local bands. By the fall of 1956, King was headlining several clubs in the area. King continued to play the St. Louis circuit, honing his style. During these years, he began playing his signature Gibson Flying V, which he named Lucy. By 1958, Albert was quite popular in St. Louis, which led to a contract with the fledgling Bobbin Records in the summer of 1959. On his first Bobbin recordings, King recorded with a pianist and a small horn section, which made the music sound closer to jump blues than Delta or Chicago blues. Nevertheless, his guitar was taking a center stage and it was clear that he had developed a unique, forceful sound. King's records for Bobbin sold well in the St. Louis area, enough so that King Records leased the "Don't Throw Your Love on Me So Strong" single from the smaller label. When the single was released nationally late in 1961, it became a hit, reaching number 14 on the R&B charts. King Records continued to lease more material from Bobbin -- including a full album, Big Blues, which was released in 1963 -- but nothing else approached the initial success of "Don't Throw Your Love on Me So Strong." Bobbin also leased material to Chess, which appeared in the late '60s.

Albert King left Bobbin in late 1962 and recorded one session for King Records in the spring of 1963, which were much more pop-oriented than his previous work; the singles issued from the session failed to sell. Within a year, he cut four songs for the local St. Louis independent label Coun-Tree, which was run by a jazz singer named Leo Gooden. Though these singles didn't appear in many cities -- St. Louis, Chicago, and Kansas City were the only three to register sales -- they foreshadowed his coming work with Stax Records. Furthermore, they were very popular within St. Louis, so much so that Gooden resented King's success and pushed him off the label.

Following his stint at Coun-Tree, Albert King signed with Stax Records in 1966. Albert's records for Stax would bring him stardom, both within blues and rock circles. All of his '60s Stax sides were recorded with the label's house band, Booker T. & the MG's, which gave his blues a sleek, soulful sound. That soul underpinning gave King crossover appeal, as evidenced by his R&B chart hits -- "Laundromat Blues" (1966) and "Cross Cut Saw" (1967) both went Top 40, while "Born Under a Bad Sign" (1967) charted in the Top 50. Furthermore, King's style was appropriated by several rock & roll players, most notably Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, who copied Albert's "Personal Manager" guitar solo on the Cream song, "Strange Brew." Albert King's first album for Stax, 1967's Born Under a Bad Sign, was a collection of his singles for the label and became one of the most popular and influential blues albums of the late '60s. Beginning in 1968, Albert King was playing not only to blues audiences, but also to crowds of young rock & rollers. He frequently played at the Fillmore West in San Francisco and he even recorded an album, Live Wire/Blues Power, at the hall in the summer of 1968.

Early in 1969, King recorded Years Gone By, his first true studio album. Later that year, he recorded a tribute album to Elvis Presley (Blues for Elvis: Albert King Does the King's Things) and a jam session with Steve Cropper and Pops Staples (Jammed Together), in addition to performing a concert with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. For the next few years, Albert toured America and Europe, returning to the studio in 1971, to record the Lovejoy album. In 1972, he recorded I'll Play the Blues for You, which featured accompaniment from the Bar-Kays, the Memphis Horns, and the Movement. The album was rooted in the blues, but featured distinctively modern soul and funk overtones.

By the mid-'70s, Stax was suffering major financial problems, so King left the label for Utopia, a small subsidiary of RCA Records. Albert released two albums on Utopia, which featured some concessions to the constraints of commercial soul productions. Although he had a few hits at Utopia, his time there was essentially a transitional period, where he discovered that it was better to follow a straight blues direction and abandon contemporary soul crossovers. King's subtle shift in style was evident on his first albums for Tomato Records, the label he signed with in 1978. Albert stayed at Tomato for several years, switching to Fantasy in 1983, releasing two albums for the label.

In the mid-'80s, Albert King announced his retirement, but it was short-lived -- Albert continued to regularly play concerts and festivals throughout America and Europe for the rest of the decade. King continued to perform until his sudden death in 1992, when he suffered a fatal heart attack on December 21. The loss to the blues was a major one -- although many guitarists have tried, no one can replace King's distinctive, trailblazing style. Albert King is a tough act to follow.



-- Stephen Thomas Erlewine of All Music Guide.
BACK TO THE TOP


VIDEOS
I'll Play the Blues for You, Pts. 1-2 (extended version)I'll Play the Blues for You, Pts. 1-2 (extended version)
with Stevie Ray Vaughan - Born Under a Bad Signwith Stevie Ray Vaughan - Born Under a Bad Sign
As The Years Go Passing ByAs The Years Go Passing By


horizontal bar



LINKSYEARTITLE
The Big Blues1963The Big Blues
Born Under A Bad Sign1967Born Under A Bad Sign
Live Wire / Blues Power1968Live Wire / Blues Power
Jammed Together1969with Steve Cropper & Pop Staples ‎– Jammed Together
King, Does The King's Things1969King, Does The King's Things
Years Gone By1969Years Gone By
Lovejoy1971Lovejoy
The Lost Session1971The Lost Session
I'll Play The Blues For You1972I'll Play The Blues For You
Blues At Sunset Live}1973Blues At Sunset {Live}
Montreux Festival1974Montreux Festival
I Wanna Get Funky1974I Wanna Get Funky
Albert1976Albert
Truckload Of Lovin'1976Truckload Of Lovin'
I'll Play The Blues For You1977I'll Play The Blues For You '77
King Albert1977King Albert
Live!1977Live!
The Pinch1977The Pinch
New Orleans Heat1978New Orleans Heat
Albert Live!1979Albert Live!
Crosscut Saw:  Albert King In San Francisco1983Crosscut Saw: Albert King In San Francisco
I'm In A Phone Booth, Baby1984I'm In A Phone Booth, Baby
Laundromat Blues1984Laundromat Blues
Jammed Together1988Jammed Together


BACK TO THE TOP


horizontal bar

albums

1963 The Big Blues

01. Let's Have A Natural Ball
02. What Can I Do To Change Your Mind?
03. I Get Evil
04. Had You Told It Like It Was (It Wouldn't Be Like It Is)
05. This Morning
06. I Walked All Night Long
07. Don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong
08. Travelin' To California
09. I've Made Nights By Myself
10. This Funny Feeling
11. Ooh-Ee Baby
12. Dyna Flow

1967 Born Under A Bad Sign

01. Born Under A Bad Sign
02. Crosscut Saw
03. Kansas City
04. Oh, Pretty Woman
05. Down Don't Bother Me
06. The Hunter
07. I Almost Lost My Mind
08. Personal Manager
09. Laundromat Blues
10. As The Years Go Passing By
11. The Very Thought Of You

1968 Live Wire / Blues Power

01. Watermelon Man
02. Blues Power
03. Night Stomp
04. Blues At Sunrise
05. Please Love Me
06. Look Out

horizontal bar

1969 with Steve Cropper & Pop Staples ‎– Jammed Together

01. What'd I Say
02. Tupelo
03. Opus De Soul
04. Baby, What You Want Me To Do
05. Big Bird
06. Homer's Theme
07. Trashy Dog
08. Don't Turn Your Heater Down
09. Water
10. Knock On Wood

1969 King, Does The King's Things

01. Hound Dog
02. That's All Right
03. All Shook Up
04. Jailhouse Rock
05. Heartbreak Hotel
06. Don't Be Cruel
07. One Night
08. Blue Suede Shoes
09. Love Me Tender

1969 Years Gone By

01. Wrapped Up In Love Again
02. You Don't Love Me (Instrumental)
03. Cockroach
04. Killing Floor
05. Lonely Man
06. If The Washing Don't Get You The Rinsing Will
07. Drowning On Dry Land
08. Drowning On Dry Land (Instrumental)
09. Heart Fixing Business
10. You Threw Your Love On Me Too Strong
11. Sky Is Crying


horizontal bar

1971 Lovejoy

01. Honky Tonk Woman
02. Bay Area Blues
03. Corina Corina
04. She Caught The Katy & Left Me A Mule To Ride
05. For The Love Of A Woman
06. Lovejoy, ILL.
07. Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven
08. Going Back To Iuka
09. Like A Road Leading Home

1971 The Lost Session

01. She Won't Gimme No Lovin'
02. Cold In Hand
03. Stop Lying
04. All The Way Down
05. Tell Me What True Love Is
06. Down The Road I Go
07. Money Lovin' Women
08. Sun Gone Down
09. Brand New Razor

1972 I'll Play The Blues For You

01. I'll Play The Blues For You
02. Little Brother (make a way)
03. Breaking Up Somebody's Home
04. High Cost Of Loving
05. I'll Be Doggone
06. Answer To The Laundromat Blues
07. Don't Burn Down The Bridge
08. Angel Of Mercy

horizontal bar

1973 Blues At Sunset {Live}

01. Matchbox Blues(Wattstax)
02. Got To Be Some Changes Made
03. I'll Play The Blues For You
04. Killing Floor
05. Angel Of Mercy
06. Matchbox Blues(Montreux)
07. Watermelon Man
08. Breaking Up Somebody's Home
09. Call It Stormy Monday

1974 Montreux Festival

01. In View
02. Let Me Down Easy
03. We're Gonna Make It
04. Don't Make No Sense
05. Stormy Monday
06. For The Love Of A Woman

1974 I Wanna Get Funky

01. I Wanna Get Funky
02. Playing On Me
03. Walking The Back Streets And Crying
04. 'Til My Back Ain't Got No Bone
05. Flat Tire
06. I Can't Hear Nothing But The Blues
07. Travelin' Man
08. Crosscut Saw
09. That's What The Blues Is All About


horizontal bar

1976 Albert

01. Guitar Man
02. I'm Ready
03. Ain't Nothing You Can Do
04. I Don't Care What My Baby Do
05. Change Of Pace
06. My Babe
07. Running Out Of Steam
08. Rub My Back
09. Ain't It A Real Good Sign

1976 Truckload Of Lovin'

01. Cold Women With Warm Hearts
02. Gonna Make It Somehow
03. Sensation, Communication Together
04. I'm Your Mate
05. Truckload Of Lovin'
06. Hold Hand With One Another
07. Cadillac Assembly Line
08. Nobody Wants A Loser

1977 I'll Play The Blues For You '77

01. Born Under A Bad Sign
02. The Very Thought Of You
03. I Worked Hard
04. When You're Down
05. Feel Good
06. Boom Boom
07. It Serves Me Right To Suffer
08. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer
09. Crawling King Snake


horizontal bar

1977 King Albert

01. Love Shock
02. You Upset Me Baby
03. Chump Change
04. Let Me Rock You Easy
05. Boot Lace
06. Love Mechanic
07. Call My Job
08. Good Time Charlie

1977 Live!

01. Watermelon Man
02. Don't Burn Down The Bridge
03. Blues At Sunrise
04. That's What The Blues Is All About
05. Stormy Monday
06. Kansas City
07. Gonna Call You As Soon As The Sun Goes Down
08. Matchbox Blues
09. As The Years Go Passing By
10. I'll Play The Blues For You

1977 The Pinch

01. The Blues Don't Change
02. I'm Doing Fine
03. Nice To Be Nice
04. Oh, Pretty Woman
05. King Of Kings
06. Feel The Need
07. Firing Line
08. The Pinch Paid Off
09. I Can't Stand The Rain
10. Ain't It Beautiful

horizontal bar

1978 New Orleans Heat

01. Get Out Of My Life Woman
02. Born Under A Bad Sign
03. The Feeling
04. We All Wanna Boogie
05. The Very Thought Of You
06. I Got The Blues
07. I Get Evil
08. Angel Of Mercy
09. Flat Tire

1979 Albert Live!

01. Watermelon Man
02. Don't Burn Down The Bridge
03. Blues At Sunrise
04. That's What The Blues Is All About
05. Stormy Monday
06. Kansas City
07. Gonna Call You As Soon As the Sun Goes Down
08. Matchbox Blues
09. Jam In A Flat
10. As The Years Go Passing By
11. Overall Junction
12. I'll Play The Blues For You

1983 Crosscut Saw: Albert King In San Francisco

01. Honey Bee
02. Ask Me No Questions
03. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town
04. They Made The Queen Welcome
05. Floodin' In California
06. I Found Love In The Food Stamp Line
07. Matchbox Blues
08. Crosscut Saw
09. Why You So Mean To Me


horizontal bar

1984 I'm In A Phone Booth, Baby

01. Phone Booth
02. Dust My Broom
03. The Sky Is Crying
04. Brother, Go Ahead And Take Her
05. Your Bread Ain't Done
06. Firing Line
07. The Game Goes On
08. Truckload Of Lovin'
09. You Gotta Sacrifice

1984 Laundromat Blues

01. Born Under A Bad Sign
02. Laundromat Blues
03. I Love Lucy
04. You Sure Drive A Hard Bargain
05. Crosscut Saw
06. You're Gonna Need Me
07. Overall Junction
08. Almost Lost My Mind
09. Oh, Pretty Woman
10. Funk-Shun
11. The Hunter
12. Cold Feet
13. Kansas City
14. Down Don't Bother Me
15. As The Years Go Passing By
16. Personal Manager

1988 Jammed Together

01. What'd I Say
02. Tupelo
03. Opus de Soul
04. Baby What You Want Me To Do
05. Big Bird
06. Homer's Theme
07. Trashy Dog
08. Don't Turn Your Heater Down
09. Water
10. Knock On Wood

horizontal bar


MAIN PAGE BLUES RHYTHM AND BLUES
GOLDEN VOICES OLD SCHOOL FUNK PAGE SILKY SOUL SINGERS
GREAT GROUPS JAZZ ROCK AND ROLL



E-MAIL JANICE Graphics by YSM

horizontal bar