Albert King
Acting
Biography
Albert King (né Nelson; April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), was an American guitarist and singer, who is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time. He is perhaps best known for his popular and influential album Born Under a Bad Sign (1967) and its title track. B. B. King, Freddie King, and he, all unrelated, were known as the "Three Kings of the Blues". The left-handed Albert King was known for his "deep, dramatic sound that was widely imitated by both blues and rock guitarists". King was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1983. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2023, he was ranked number 22 on Rolling Stone's 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. King began his professional work as a musician with a group called the Groove Boys in Osceola, Arkansas. During this time, he was exposed to the work of many Delta blues artists, including Elmore James and Robert Nighthawk. In 1953, he moved north to Gary, Indiana, where he briefly played drums in Jimmy Reed's band and on several of Reed's early recordings. In Gary, he recorded his first single ("Bad Luck Blues" backed with "Be On Your Merry Way"), for Parrot Records. The record sold a few copies, but made no significant impact, and Parrot did not request any follow-up records or sign King to a long-term contract. In 1954, he returned to Osceola and rejoined the Groove Boys for two years. In 1956, he moved to Brooklyn, Illinois, just across the river from St. Louis, and formed a new band. He became a popular attraction around the St. Louis nightclub scene, alongside Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm and Chuck Berry. He signed to Little Milton's Bobbin label in 1959, releasing a few singles, but none of them charted. He did catch the attention of King Records, however, which released the single "Don't Throw Your Love on Me So Strong" in November 1961. The recording featured musician Ike Turner on piano and became King's first hit; peaking at number 14 on the Billboard rhythm and blues (R&B) chart. The song was included on his first album The Big Blues in 1962. King left Bobbin in late 1962 and recorded one session for King Records. In 1963, he signed with jazz artist Leo Gooden's Coun-Tree label and cut two records for them, but these failed to chart. With no apparent career prospects other than touring the club circuit in the South and Midwest, King moved to Memphis, where he signed with the Stax Records label. Produced by Al Jackson Jr., King with Booker T. & the MGs recorded dozens of influential sides, such as "Crosscut Saw" and "As the Years Go Passing By". In 1967, Stax released the album Born Under a Bad Sign, a collection of the singles King recorded at Stax. The title track of that album (written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell) became King's best-known song and has been covered by several artists (including Cream, Paul Rodgers, and Jimi Hendrix). The production of the songs was sparse and clean and maintained a traditional blues sound, while also sounding fresh and thoroughly contemporary. The key to King's success at Stax was giving his songs an upbeat, slick R&B feel that made the songs more appealing and radio-friendly than the slow, traditional blues sound.
Known For
The Midnight Special is an American late-night musical variety series that aired on NBC during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by Burt Sugarman. It premiered as a special on August 19, 1972, then began its run as a regular series on February 2, 1973; its last episode was on May 1, 1981. The ninety-minute program followed the Friday night edition of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. The show typically featured guest hosts, except for a period from July 1975 through March 1976 when singer Helen Reddy served as the regular host. Wolfman Jack served as the announcer and frequent guest host. The series also occasionally aired vintage footage of older acts. As the program neared the end of its run in the early 1980s, it began to frequently use lip-synched performances rather than live. The program also featured occasional comedic performances such as Richard Pryor and Andy Kaufman.
The Midnight Special
A documentary film about the Afro-American Woodstock concert held in Los Angeles seven years after the Watts riots. Director Mel Stuart mixes footage from the concert with footage of the living conditions in the current-day Watts neighborhood.
Wattstax
Live concert recording of B.B. King playing with many guests, including Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, Etta James, Dr. John, Paul Butterfield, Billy Ocean & Phil Collins.
B.B. King & Friends
It was a night when the legends played, when English Blues met Chicago & Memphis Blues, and something magical happened. One hot night in June 1982 at New Jersey's Capitol Theater, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, featuring Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones) on lead guitar, John McVie (Fleetwood Mac) on bass, and Colin Allen (of Rod Stewart's band) on drums, paid homage to and were joined by five blues immortals: Albert King, Etta James, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, and the 83-year-old Sippie Wallace. Each of the blues greats was backed by the Bluesbreakers, resulting in some amazing musical moments. Awesome is the only word to describe the guitar jams among Albert King, Buddy Guy, and Mick Taylor. New audiences can enjoy every moment of greatness from that special night, when the Bluesbreakers were joined by the blues makers. The night the legends came out to play.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers - Jammin' with the Blues Greats
Albert King & B.B. King live at the Japan Blues Carnival 1989.
Albert King & B.B. King: Japan Blues Carnival
Recorded for a television program of the same name back in 1983, In Session bills itself as the only known recording of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert King, who was Vaughan's idol and mentor, playing together. That leads to some heavy expectations, which fortunately aren't disappointed, at least if you aren't expecting the customary over-the-top performances Vaughan was famous for. His playing here is much more laid-back and controlled, which is actually a recommendation--the stylistic similarities between teacher and student are that much more pronounced. The songs are mostly King concert staples, with the exception of "Pride and Joy"; highlights include the T-Bone Walker classic "Call It Stormy Monday" and one of King's own, "Overall Junction," which features some excellent guitar solo work. The snippets of recorded conversation between songs are interesting curiosities as well. --Genevieve Williams
Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan - In Session
Gary Moore LiVE with special guests Albert King and Albert Collins
Gary Moore With The Midnight Blues Band: An Evening Of The Blues
Born in Indianola, Mississippi, Albert King remains one of the most influential blues guitarists of all time and enjoyed a successful career that spanned four decades, with wide critical and commercial acceptance throughout the world. The left- handed blues giant wrenched stinging solos from his trademark Gibson Flying V, informing the sound and style of such admirers as Eric Clapton, Luther Allison, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Taj Mahal and Jimi Hendrix. This never before released concert film presents King in top form, tearing through his signature songs at the peak of his career. Songs include "Born under a Bad Sign," "The Sky Is Crying," "The Very Thought of You," "Cadillac Assembly Line," "Summertime," "Cold Women with Warm Hearts," "As the Years Go Passing By."