Albert King

Albert King (of his true name Albert Nelson ) is a Guitariste and Chanteur of American Blues born the April 25th 1923 and died in Memphis, Tennessee the December 21st 1992.

It is, with B.B. King and Freddie King, one of the three kings of the guitar blues and is also called The Velvet Bulldozer ( the velvet bulldozer) because of its imposing physique (118 kg).

Biography

Albert Nelson was born in a modest family in Indianola in the the Mississippi close to a Plantation of Coton where he works during his youth. Its first musical influences come to him from his/her father, Will Nelson, which played of the guitar. During its childhood, he also sings with the church in a group of Gospel. He begins his professional path with a group called In the Groove Boys in Osceola in the Arkansas.

Its first success is the song I' m has Lonely Man left in 1959. It must however await 1961 and the exit of Don' T Throw Your Love one Me So Strong to become famous by reaching the fourteenth places classifications of R&B. In 1966, it signs for famous the label Stax for which it leaves in 1967 its album legendary Born Under has Bad Sign . The song titrates this album (written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell) becomes the most known piece of King and which will be taken again by many artists (of Cream to Homer Simpson). The 1968, King is engaged by Bill Graham to open the spectacle with the Fillmore West in front of John Mayall and Jimi Hendrix. King is the first musician of blues to have played Fillmore West (it will rejouera several times during his career there).

Albert King dies the December 21st 1992 of an heart attack with Memphis.

Style

Albert King was a left-handed guitarist who generally played on a guitar of droitier (cords not being reversed). He is also known to have used tunings out of the commun run (like a tuning of C allowing him to carry out larger Bend S). Follower of the Electric guitar, his guitar most famous is a Gibson Flying V (with a very characteristic triangular form) which it had called Lucy .

Even if it represents the Chicago Blues, it recorded its best albums, during the Années 1970, on a label of R&B of Memphis, Stax records. It métissa its the Blues of best R&B of the time. Today, the importance of this atypical guitarist is revalued. Indeed, its influence on the contemporary blues determining and is recognized: rates/rhythms funky, suramplification, even its so particular style is copied by many young people bluesmen.

Among the musicians whom it influenced, one can quote Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Mike Bloomfield and Gary Moore but of all its heirs, Stevie Ray Vaughan is undoubtedly most strongly influenced by Albert King as one can in particular hear it on his slow blues. In addition, the solo of guitar of Eric Clapton on the song Strange Brew of Cream in 1967 is a recovery notes with note of the solo of King on Crosscut Saw .

Less known than BB King, Albert will thus remain like one of tallest the bluesmen of the 20th century.

Discography

Album left postmortem:

  • 1993: The Ultimate Collection , Rhino Records
  • 1993: So Many Roads , Charly Blues Masters
  • 1994: The Tomato Years , Tomato Records
  • 1995: Mean Mean Blues , King Records
  • 1996: Hardware Bargain , Stax Records
  • 1997: Born Under has Bad Sign & Other Hits , Flashback Records
  • 1999: Blues Power , Stax Records
  • 1999: The Very Best Off Albert King , Rhino Records
  • 1999: has Truckload Of Lovin': The Best Off Albert King , Recall Records (the U.K.)
  • 1999: In Session , Stax Records (with Stevie Ray Vaughan)
  • 2001: Guitar Man , Fuel 2000 Records
  • 2001: I Get Evil: Classic Blues Collected , Music Club Records
  • 2001: More Big Blues Off Albert King , Ace Records
  • 2002: Blue One Blues , Fuel 2000 Records
  • 2003: Talkin' Blues , Thristy Ear Records
  • 2003: Blues From The Road , Fuel 2000 Records

External bonds

  • the biography of Albert King at Stax
  • Albert King the Non luminous flame

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