Blues. Freddie King. The Texas Cannonball

Тема о человеке, второе имя которого - БЛЮЗ!

Freddie King

(Born Freddie Christian)

September 3, 1934 - December 28, 1976
Birthplace: Gilmer, Texas

Freddie King (no relation to any of the other blues guitaristsnamed King) was one of the lynchpins of modern blues guitar.Along with Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, and MagicSam, King spearheaded Chicago's modern blues movement in theearly '60s and helped set the stage for the blues-rock boom ofthe late '60s. His influence on such blues-rock titans as Eric Clapton helped preserve alegacy characterized by searing, aggressive guitar solos and thewelding of blues and rock into one cohesive sound.

Although Freddie King was born and raised in Texas, he matured asa musician in Chicago. His guitar style combined country andurban influences. As a child, King grew up on the music of suchlegendary country blues guitarists as Blind Lemon Jefferson, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Arthur "Big Boy"Crudup. After he and his family moved to Chicago in 1950,King began hanging out in clubs where the stinging, city-hotguitar work of such Mississippi Delta-rooted blues men as Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, andEddie Taylor filled the air.

Though he first recorded in the 1950s-cutting sides for theobscure El-Bee label and doing a few session dates for Chess,King didn't begin to attract attention until after he signed withFederal Records in 1960. (Federal was a subsidiary of theCincinnati-based King Record label.) Under the guidance ofpianist and King Records A&R man Sonny Thompson, King'searly-'60s sessions resulted in such stellar tunes as"Lonesome Whistle Blues" and "I'm Tore Down" (116 k, 10sec.) as well as a potent rendition of the Bill Myles classic"Have You Ever Loved a Woman." (Eric Clapton did a version of thesong during his Derek and the Dominos days.) In 1994, Clapton cuthis own version of "I'mTore Down"(114 k, 10 sec.) with remarkableresembence to Freddy's original.

King also recorded numerous instrumentals in the early '60s. Onesong, "Hide Away," reached number 29 on the Billboardpop charts in 1961 and ranks among the most popular bluesinstrumentals ever recorded. Named for Mel's Hideaway Lounge, anoted Chicago blues club, the song showcased King's guitarprowess and inventiveness in combining catchy themes drawn fromblues, rock, and rhythm & blues. Thanks to the popularity oftwangy guitar instrumentals in the early '60s, King was able tomove freely from blues to R&B to rock-flavored blues andnovelty songs like "Bossa Nova Watusi Twist,""Monkey Donkey," and "Surf Monkey."

King's relationship with Federal/King ended in 1968. AlthoughKing's most productive period was over, he enjoyed a renaissanceof sorts in the late '60s when English blues-rock guitarists suchas Clapton, Mick Taylor, and Peter Green began covering Kingtunes and incorporating elements of his guitar style into theirown. This brought King renewed recognition and a growing audienceamong blues-rock fans, plus new recording contract in 1968 withCotillion, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records. Two years later Kingjumped to Shelter Records. His last recording contract was withRSO Records in 1974. Though the bulk of King's blues from thisera leaned heavily toward funk and rock, his guitar work remainedstylish and supple.

King was only forty-two years old when he died in 1976 ofbleeding ulcers and heart failure.

Guitarist Freddie King rode to fame in the early '60s with a spate of catchy instrumentals which became instant bandstand fodder for fellow bluesmen and white rock bands alike. Employing a more down-home (thumb and finger picks) approach to the B.B. King single-string style of playing, King enjoyed success on a variety of different record labels. Furthermore, he was one of the first bluesmen to employ a racially integrated group on-stage behind him. Influenced by Eddie Taylor, Jimmy Rogers, and Robert Jr. Lockwood, King went on to influence the likes of Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Lonnie Mack, among many others.

Freddie King (who was originally billed as "Freddy" early in his career) was born and raised in Gilmer, TX, where he learned how to play guitar as a child; his mother and uncle taught him the instrument. Initially, King played rural acoustic blues, in the vein of Lightin' Hopkins. By the time he was a teenager, he had grown to love the rough, electrified sounds of Chicago blues. In 1950, when he was 16 years old, his family moved to Chicago, where he began frequenting local blues clubs, listening to musicians like Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Little Walter, and Eddie Taylor. Soon, the young guitarist formed his own band, the Every Hour Blues Boys, and was performing himself.

In the mid-'50s, King began playing on sessions for Parrott and Chess Records, as well as playing with Earlee Payton's Blues Cats and the Little Sonny Cooper Band. Freddie King didn't cut his own record until 1957, when he recorded "Country Boy" for the small independent label El-Bee. The single failed to gain much attention.

Three years later, King signed with Federal Records, a subsidiary of King Records, and recorded his first single for the label, "You've Got to Love Her With a Feeling," in August of 1960. The single appeared the following month and became a minor hit, scraping the bottom of the pop charts in early 1961. "You've Got to Love Her With Feeling" was followed by "Hide Away," the song that would become Freddie King's signature tune and most influential recording. "Hide Away" was adapted by King and Magic Sam from a Hound Dog Taylor instrumental and named after one of the most popular bars in Chicago. The single was released as the B-side of "I Love the Woman" (his singles featured a vocal A-side and an instrumental B-side) in the fall of 1961 and it became a major hit, reaching number five on the R&B charts and number 29 on the pop charts. Throughout the '60s, "Hide Away" was one of the necessary songs blues and rock & roll bar bands across America and England had to play during their gigs.

King's first album, Freddy King Sings, appeared in 1961, and it was followed later that year by Let's Hide Away and Dance Away With Freddy King: Strictly Instrumental. Throughout 1961, he turned out a series of instrumentals - including "San-Ho-Zay," "The Stumble," and "I'm Tore Down" - which became blues classics; everyone from Magic Sam and Stevie Ray Vaughan to Dave Edmunds and Peter Green covered King's material. "Lonesome Whistle Blues," "San-Ho-Zay," and "I'm Tore Down" all became Top Ten R&B hits that year.

Freddie King continued to record for King Records until 1968, with a second instrumental album (Freddy King Gives You a Bonanza of Instrumentals) appearing in 1965, although none of his singles became hits. Nevertheless, his influence was heard throughout blues and rock guitarists throughout the '60s - Eric Clapton made "Hide Away" his showcase number in 1965. King signed with Atlantic/Cotillion in late 1968, releasing Freddie King Is a Blues Masters the following year and My Feeling for the Blues in 1970; both collections were produced by King Curtis. After their release, Freddie King and Atlantic/Cotillion parted ways.

King landed a new record contract with Leon Russell's Shelter Records early in 1970. King recorded three albums for Shelter in the early '70s, all of which sold well. In addition to respectable sales, his concerts were also quite popular with both blues and rock audiences. In 1974, he signed a contract with RSO Records - which was also Eric Clapton's record label - and he released Burglar, which was produced and recorded with Clapton. Following the release of Burglar, King toured America, Europe, and Australia. In 1975, he released his second RSO album, Larger Than Life.

Throughout 1976, Freddie King toured America, even though his health was beginning to decline. On December 29, 1976, King died of heart failure. Although his passing was premature - he was only 42 years old - Freddie King's influence could still be heard in blues and rock guitarists decades after his death.

KING, FREDDIE (1934-1976). Freddie King, African-American blues musician, was born in Gilmer, Texas, on September 3, 1934, the son of J. T. Christian and Ella Mae King. At the age of six he began playing guitar with his mother and an uncle, Leon King. He moved to Chicago when he was sixteen and developed his style under the influence of Sam (Lightnin') Hopkins, Aaron Thibeaux (T-Bone) Walker,qqv Riley (B. B.) King (not a relative), and others. He claimed that Eddie Taylor and James Charles (Jimmie) Rodgersqv taught him how to use guitar picks. From 1950 to 1958 he played in local clubs and in the latter year made his professional debut. In the 1950s King worked with the Sonny Cooper Band and Earlee Payton's Blues Cats making records for the Parrot label. In the 1960s he recorded under the Cotillion label with his own band. In 1970 he signed with Shelter Records, a company partly owned by musician Leon Russell. He recorded with such early greats as Muddy Waters, Sonny Cooper, and T-Bone Walker. In 1960 he also began touring the United States, Europe, and Australia, appearing in concert halls, night clubs, and at jazz and blues festivals. Some of his classic songs were "Have You Ever Loved a Woman," "Hide Away," and "Woman Across the River." Like many blues artists in the late 1960s and early 1970s King had close ties to the rock-and-roll world. Musicians such as Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck recorded his songs, and King even toured with Clapton in the mid-1970s. In 1963 he returned to Texas and settled in Dallas. In 1971 he recorded the first major live album ever made in Austin at Armadillo World Headquarters,qv known as "the House That Freddie King Built." He opened the club and returned periodically for fund-raisers. His recordings with Shelter Records brought him recognition throughout the state as a "top-notch Texas bluesman." He married a woman named Jessie, and they had seven children. He died on December 28, 1976, and was buried in Hillcrest Memorial Park, Dallas.

Early life
King was born Frederick Christian in Gilmer, Texas on September 3, 1934. His mother was Ella May King, his father J.T Christian. His mother and her brother, who both played the guitar, began teaching Freddie to play at the age of six. He liked and imitated the music of Lightnin Sam Hopkins and saxophonist Louis Jordan.

He moved with his family from Texas to the southside of Chicago in 1950. There, at age 16 he used to sneak in to local clubs, where he heard blues music performed by the likes of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, T-Bone Walker, Elmore James, and Sonny Boy Williamson. Howlin Wolf took him under his wing (or paw), and Freddie also began jamming with Muddy Waters' sidemen, who included Eddie Taylor, Jimmy Rogers, Robert Lockwood Jr. and Little Walter.

By 1952 he had married a Texas girl, Jessie Burnett. He gigged at night and worked days in a steel mill. He got occasional work as a sideman on recording sessions. Two bands that he played with during this period were the Sonny Cooper Band, and Early Payton's Blues Cats. He formed the first band of his own, the Every Hour Blues Boys, with guitarist Jimmy Lee Robinson and drummer Sonny Scott.

In 1953 he made some recordings for Parrot. In 1956 he recorded "Country Boy", a duet with Margaret Whitfield, and "That's What You Think", an uptempo blues. This was for a local label, El-Bee. Robert Lockwood Jr. appeared as a sideman on guitar.

On Federal Label
In 1959 he met Sonny Thompson, a pianist who worked for the King/Federal label. In 1960, he himself signed with that label; while there he often shared songwriting credits, and participated in marathon recording sessions, with Thompson. On August 26, 1960, he recorded "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" and "Hide Away", which were to become two of his most popular tunes. His debut release for the label was "You've Got To Love Her with Feeling". His second release on King/Federal was "I Love the Woman". "Hide Away" was used as the B side for this disk; that tune, a 12-bar mid-tempo shuffle in E with an infectious theme in the head section, and a memorable stop-time break that featured some robust-sounding work on the bass strings, was destined to become one of his signiature numbers. It was an adaptation of a tune by Hound Dog Taylor. It was named "Hide Away" after a popular bar in Chicago. Strictly an instrumental -- guitar with rhythm section -- it delighted everyone by crossing over and reaching #29 on the pop chart. It was later covered by Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, the Canadian guitarist Jeff Healy, and likely a majority of the bar blues bands on Planet Earth.

After the success of "Hide Away", the label, which was presided over by one Syd Nathan, got Freddie and Sonny Thompson to work on making more instrumentals. This they did, producing over 30 of them during the next five years. The following is a partial list: His first '45 release there was: side A "Have You Ever Loved A Woman", side B "Hide Away". Both songs were successful on the R&B charts, but in addition, the instrumental, "Hide Away", crossed over and reached #29 on the pop chart. The Label, under the direction of Sid Nathan, recognised a good thing, and got Freddie and Sonny Thompson to concencrate on making more instrumentals. These would include "The Stumble", "Low Tide," "Wash Out," "Sidetracked", "San-Ho-Zay," "Heads Up," "Onion Rings," and "The Sad Nite Owl". Freddie became popular with a young white audience, in Britain as well as the United States, and his playing was a major influence on the upcoming breed of rock guitarists. During this period he was touring frequently along with the big R&B acts of the day such as Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, James Brown. His band included his brother Benny Turner on bass; and Tyrone Davis, who would later become known in his own right, was the driver and valet.

On the personal side, Freddie was fond, perhaps overly fond, of the Chicago night life. His official website refers to him "Gambling til dawn in the backroom of Mike's cleaners." His wife, now with six children, decided to move back to Texas. Once there, she called Syd Nathan and demanded that he send her some of the royalty money due to her husband. To his credit, he sent her two thousand dollars, with which she made the down payment on a house. Realising that the family were definitely not coming back to Chicago, Freddie, in the spring of 1963, himself moved back to Texas to rejoin them.

On Atlantic
His contract with King/Federal expired in 1966. That same year, while making a series of appearances on an R&B program called "The!!!Beat", he was noticed by Atlantic Records front man King Curtis, and in 1968 he signed with the Atlantic subsidiary, Cotillion Records. He released two records for them (see Recordings), both of which showcased his vocal talents. They were not overwhelming commercial successes; however, his first overseas tour, in 1968, was a resounding triumph, being extended from one month to three. He was "amazed by his popularity in England."1

On Shelter Records
In 1969 he hired a young member of the "counter culture", Jack Calmes, to be his manager. Calmes got him booked at the 1969 Texas Pop Festival, alongside Led Zeppelin and others; and got him signed to Leon Russell's new label, Shelter Records. Shelter records was based in Oklahoma, and featured blues/rock performers such as Linda Ronstadt and Joe Cocker. The company treated Freddie as an important artist, flying him to Chicago to the former Chess studios for th recording of his first album, and giving him asupporting cast of top-calibre session musicians -- including Russell, a rock pianist. Three albums made during Shelter period are considered generally as fairly good. They include many covers of blues classics but also some new songs, including "Big Legged Woman" and "Going Down". Most of new material was written by Russell.

Last years
As were many of the top bluesmen of his generation, he was now playing what he affectionately called the "Fillmore circuit", playing alongside the big rock acts of the day for a young, mainly white, audience. As a result of his touring with Eric Clapton, the two became good friends -- Clapton held him in very high esteem -- and following his term at Shelter Records, Freddie signed with the label Clapton was recording for, RSO. His first album there, Burglar, was produced by Clapton, and had him playing on several tracks. The album was a disappointment for many fans, since it did not contain much straight blues material.

He continued to tour heavily. He died in Dallas in 1976 from a heart attack and complications arising from bleeding ulcers and pancreatitis. He was just 42 years of age.

Music
Freddie played with a plastic thumb pick and a metal index-finger pick. He credited Eddie Taylor with having taught him the use of the picks. King's style of wearing his strap on his right shoulder, while being right handed, was totally unique for the time. Freddie King was one of the main artists in the West side Chicago blues scene of the 1950s and 1960s which is widely copied by blues guitarists today.

His instrumental, Hide Away, recorded in 1961, was later covered by John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers featuring Eric Clapton. It was also covered by Stevie Ray Vaughan. King had a strong influence on blues-rock musicians such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Keith Richards, Ronnie Earl, Jerry Garcia, Peter Green. Other notable instrumentals include The Stumble and San Ho Zay (Smokin').

In 2003 Freddie King was placed 25th in Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.

Final words:

Twenty five years after his death. Freddie King's blazing blues continues to influence young muscians and stir the hearts of blues lovers every where. In 1993 by proclamation from the Texas Governor Ann Richards September 3, 1993, was declared Freddie King Day. This is a honor reserved for Lone Star legends such as Bob Wills, and Buddy Holly. Texas will always keep a blues light burning for the Texas Cannon ball Freddie King ...

1953. Several sides for the Parrot label.
1956. 45 r.p.m. record for El-Bee. Side A: "Country Boy", side B: "That's What You Think".

King/Federal

762- Freddy King Sings (1961)
773- lets Hide Away and Dance Away with Freddy king (1961)
777- Freddy King, Lulu Reed & Sonny Thompson, Two Boys and a Girl (1962)
821- Bossa Nova and the Blues (1963)
856- Freddy King goes Surfin' (overdubbed crowd noise, reissue of LP 773) (1963)
928- Bonanza of Insrumentals (1965)
931- Freddie King Sings Again (1965)
45 rpm. – Christmas Tears and I Hear Jingle Bells Cotillion
Freddie king is a Blues master (1969) SD 9004
My Feeling for the Blues (1970) SD 9016

Shelter

Getting Ready (1971) SW8905
The Texas Cannonball (1972) SW8913
Woman Across The River (1973) SW8921

RSO

Burglar (1974) SO4803
Freddie King Larger Than Life (1975) SO4811
Freddie King 1934-1976 Polydor/Polygram Records 831817-2

GUITARS
Originally Gibson Les Pauls mid 50s loaded with P90 single coils.
Gibson thinline semis ES-335, ES-345 and ES-355 (see right).
Freddie used a thumbpick and a steel fingerpick (on his index finger) for playing

AMPS
Fenders Twin and Quad Reverbs

FREDDY KING - HIDE AWAY 1966


Clarence Gatemouth Brown and Freddie King Shuffle


Sweden 1973

Видел и слышал несколько записей этого Музыканта.

Потрясающий гитарист!

2Rosco:
>Потрясающий гитарист!
Не то слово!

Продолжаем постить очередной вариант его истории...

Freddie was born in Gilmer Texas on September 3 1934 with the given name of Freddy King to Ella May King and J.T. Christian. My father's mother told him that her grandfather ( who was a full-blooded Choctaw Indian) prophesied to her that she would have a child that will stir the souls of millions and inspire and influence generations. My grandmother and her brother Leon played the guitar. Freddie's mother recognized early her first born interest in music. She and her brother Leon began teaching him to play rural country blues at the age of six. His early music heroes were Sam Lightnin Hopkins (who he credits his proficiency of the down home thumb-finger picken style) and Louis Jordan (the jump blues saxophonist). He told me that he would play Jordan's record over and over again until he could match his horn, note for note. This discipline would have a major impact on his phrasing.

His first guitar was a silvertone acoustic. His most prized guitar at that time was his Roy Roger acoustic. In a interview years later he recalled going to the general store to order it. The store owner asked him if his mother knew he was trying to order a guitar on her store account. Freddie replied " no". The store owner told him to get permission. His mother said "no". She told him, "if you want a new guitar you will have to work for it." He stated that he picked cotton just long enough to earn the money to purchase a Roger's guitar.

By 1949 two of Freddie's uncles, Felix and Willie King had already moved to Chicago. They were earning good money working in the steel mill. Ella now married to Ben Turner saw opportunity for her family in Chicago. Freddie's father J.T. didn't want Freddie to go to Chicago, He wanted Freddie to finish high school and go to college in Texas like some of his family. J.T.'s sister Melissa was a teacher at the local black school. Ella and J.T. agreed to let Freddie finish high school. The family left for Chicago in the fall of 1949.

Freddie and his family moved to Chicago in 1949. This was a dream come true. He was now living on the southside of chicago, the playground of the post -war blues greats Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, T-Bone Walker, Elmore James, Sonny Boy Williamson and others. At age16 Freddie would sneak in to the clubs (on double dares from his friends) to listen and watch these blues greats perform. One night he bet his friends that, not only would he sneak into the club, but he would also sit in with the house band and play his box guitar. Freddie won the bet. After sitting in with the band, the club owner realized how young Freddie was. He ordered the bouncers to escort him out of the club. Howlin Wolf intervened by telling the club owner" the kid is with me. Howlin was impressed by the way Freddie picked the acoustic guitar. Howlin told Freddie" young man you pick that guitar like a old soul"..."The lord sure enough put you here to play the blues" This would be the beginning of a great friendship. Howlin took young Freddie under his wing and taught him how to take care of himself in the streets of Chicago. Along with Muddy Water and his side men EddieTaylor, Jimmy Rogers, Robert Lockwood Jr.and Little Walter they accepted him into their inner circle. These guys were the cream of the crop the best that Chicago blues had to offer. Freddie started hanging out and jamming with Muddy's sidemen. My father credits Eddie Taylor with teaching him how to use the metal index finger pick and a plastic thumbpick verses the flat pick. My father really respected these guys talents as musicians and grew to understand their true worth.



By 1952 Freddie had met and married a Texas girl, Jessie Burnett. She proved to be the foundation and maturity he needed. She also would be the inspiration and co-contributor to some of his compositions. He worked in the steel mill during the day and worked gigs at night. He would ocassionally work as a sideman in recording sessions. He and his running buddies Jimmy Rogers and Eddie Taylor were young, fresh and eager to venture out in search of something new, something different. The southside of Chicago served up its blues with the big blues band sound that included a rhythm section, horns, a piano,and sometimes a harp. The westside of Chicago with its small taverns, eagerly embraced these young blues maverick and their blues sound that consisted of a electrifying lead guitarist who usually doubled as the lead vocalist. a bassman, and drummer. Freddie jumped at the chance that the westside travens offered. So he along with two other young guys, guitarist Jimmy Lee Robinson and drummer Sonny Scott formed his first band,"The Every Hour Blues Boys".

In 1953 Freddie cut several sides for the Parrot Label. He continued to do session recordings whenever possible.

It was not until 1956 that Freddie recorded a 45 with a local label El-Bee. Side A was a duet with Margaret Whitfield "Country Boy" and side B was a fast tempo blues, " Thats What You Think". His friend Robert Lockwood Jr. added guitar licks. Chess Records was one of the biggest blues labels at that time. Their home office and recording studio was located in Chicago. Many big name Chicago blues artists were signed, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf and Little Walter, just to name a few. My father auditioned several times with no success. They stated that he sounded vocally like B.B. King. He would later say that Chess rejection was a blessing in disguise, because it forced him to develope his own vocal style.

It is now 1957 and Freddie is performing with bluesmen like blues pianist Memphis Slim ( who left the Chicago scene to find success in France.) and blues guitarist Magic Sam Maghett( a good friend and neighbor). As a favor Freddie did some uncredited session work for Magic Sam who at the time was signed to the Cobra Label. 1958 Uncle Sam came calling on the blues community. My father was not drafted because he had no arch support (flat feet). Magic Sam was not so lucky he was drafted.

1959 Freddie is rejected once more by Chess Records, but he meets Sonny Thompson a pianist who happens to be a contract artist and front man for King/Federal label. Sonny recognized something unique about Freddie's blues style.

In 1960 Freddie signed with Syd Nathan's King /Federal Label. Syd Nathan was a total control freak, a smart hard nose businessman who at times could be fairer than most record label owners of this period. His contract artists range from Blues, Freddie King ,Albert King,Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Memphis Slim, John Lee Hooker and others, Country & Western, Ferlin Huskey, The Stanley Brothers, Hank Penny, Grandpa Jones and others, R&B, Hank Ballad, Bill Doggett, James Brown, Little Willie John, Little Esther Phillips, The Platters, The Ink Spots, Chantals, Royals,and others, Jazz, Nina Simone, Carmen McRae, Errol Garner, Bobby Scott, Bobby Troup and others, Gospel artists and International artists. All artists recorded at one location in Cincinnati Ohio, at the Brewster locations. Records were mastered, pressed,stored, and distributed from this location. The album covers were designed and printed from the same location. Yes Syd Nathan was a control freak. Freddie's time with King label was bitter sweet. He was happy to be under contract, but he did not like being control and manipulated artistically. Nathan would suggest ideas for songs that Freddie disagreed with. Nathan wanted Freddie to cover some of his country and western artist tunes. Freddie had always been a fan of C&W but Nathan and Freddie could never agree on which tune to record. Then one day Nathan over heard a studio jam session that consisted of some country and western musicians and Freddie doing a blues swing version of" Remmington Ride". Nathan quickly had Freddie nail that tune to vinyl. The collaboration of Freddie King and Sonny Thompson on instrumentals such as "The Stumble," "Low Tide," "Wash Out," "Sidetracked," "HeadsUp," "Onion Rings," "The Sad Nite Owl," and "Hide Away", contains some of the most brilliant and most awsome guitar licks in blues history. Instrumentals like these would soon wake up the young British music community to a new groove " Blues Rock".

Many of Freddie's songwriting credits under the King label contract were shared with Sonny Thompson. They would have marathon sessions of 16 hrs and more. The first 45 release: side A " Have You Ever Loved A Woman", side B "Hide Away". Both sides were big hits on the R&B charts. The surprise was the Hide Away release. It became a crossover hit on the Pop chart reaching # 29. This was a first, a blues artist registering a hit on the Pop chart. No other blues artist had accomplished this before. Young whites were digging Freddie's blues style. Nathan quickly capitalized on it. He insisting that Freddie and Sonny concentrate on instrumentals. Freddie sold more albums during this period (1961-63) than any other blues artist including B.B. King.



Releases: 762- Freddy King Sings(1961)

773- lets Hide Away and Dance Away with Freddy king (1961)

777- Freddy King,Lulu Reed & Sonny Thompson, Two Boys and a Girl (1962)

821- Bossa Nova and the Blues (1963)

856- Freddy King goes Surfin' overdubbed crowd noise (reissued of LP 773) (1963)

928- Bonanza of Insrumentals (1965)

931- Freddie King Sings Again (1965)

45 release: Christmas Tears and I Hear Jingle Bells

Nathan showed his appreciation by purchasing a new Station Wagon for Freddie to tour in.

I can still remember as a little girl looking out the window of our third floor flat and seeing this big light blue Buick station wagon with Freddy King and his Band written in big bold lettering on the sides and his current hits" Hide Away" and "Tore Down" written on the tailgate.

My father and his band boys travel up and down the" chittlin circuit". His band now included his brother Benny Turner who played the bass and a young driver/valet, Tyrone Davis (who would later make a name for himself ).

Freddie was now a crossover sensation. He now traveled and performed with the big national show revues that included artists like Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, The Four Seasons, Dion, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Drifters, James Brown, The Shirrells and other top acts. My father and Jimmy Reed were booked together for some University shows. Jimmy Reed during this time was one of the hottist R&B performer around but he was not popular among his fellow artist. Jimmy would fight with the other artists, he sometimes would be a no show or he would perform so drunk at times he would pass out on stage. My father knew of Jimmy's reputation but they got along well together. My father pranks and jokes kept Jimmy laughing. One night backstage in the dressing room while getting ready to go onstage Jimmy went into an epileptic seizure. People in the dressing room panic and did not know how to help him. My father grabbed Jimmy forced a drum stick between his teeth to prevent him from biting off his tongue. During the same tour there was a incident where my mother (who was traveling with my father) was told by university officials that because of school policy she would not be permitted to sit in the audience. This made my father furious. He told Jimmy. Jimmy refused to perform. He went on stage and explained that he would not perform where Negroes could not sit. The students almost rioted. The officials waived the policy and allowed my mother to sit in the audience and the show went on.

It is now 1962 and Freddie was still riding the crest of success from his King recordings. Freddie King was hotter than molten steel. But with success comes the down side. Freddie Loved the Chicago night life. Gambling til dawn in the backroom of Mike's cleaners and getting into mischief with his cronies.My mother was now a housewife with six children. She didn't like what the Chicago nightlife was doing to her husband, it provided to many distractions. The fall of 1962 she left her husband and she and her six children moved to Dallas Texas. After she arrived in Dallas she called Syd Nathan demanding that he send her royalties that she knew her husband was entitled to. She stated that she needed it for her children and herself to start a new life. Nathan proved to be a few notches above the other record company owners of this period. He sent my mother two thousand dollars. My mother place a down payment on a house. It did not take my father long to realize that his family was not returning to Chicago. Freddie left his beloved Chicago and joined his wife and children in Dallas in the spring of 1963. Freddie's move to Texas proved to be a blessing in disguise. Freddie began fine tuning his vocals he evolved from a B.B. king singing style to his own more soulful sound. Music was changing and so was he. He was experimenting with and incorporating different types of music. Freddie's contract with King ended in 1966. Gone were the big name revues and national tour packages, but Freddie continued to draw pack houses where ever he performed black and white clubs. He got an opportunity in 1966 to do a series of appearances on a R&B program called "The!!!Beat". The Beat had this 60's "Mod"look that featured a house band lead by Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, artists like Otis Redding, Etta James, Little Milton, Carla Thomas, and Louis Jordan. to name a few appeared weekly. These appearance caught the attention of Atlantic Records front man King Curtis.

In 1968 Freddie signed a contract with Cotillion Records a subsidiary of Atlantic Records. Two albums were released:

Freddie king is a Blues master

My Feeling for the Blues

Both releases were soulful and funky and showcased his singing talents,both albums had moderate success. Freddie was disappointed in the lack of success in the two releases. His spirits was soon lifted with the success of his first overseas tour in 1968. He was originally booked for a month and it was extended to three. He was amazed by his popularity in England, a new generation of young white musicians like Eric Clapton,MickTaylor, and others were trying to emulate Freddie King. In 1969 Freddie hires a new manager Jack Calmes. Jack is young, white and part of the "counter culture" that has discovered the blues. Jack helped orchestrate Freddie's career into high gear with the 1969 Texas Pop Festival,there he shared billing with Led Zeppelin, Sly and the family stone,Ten years After, B.B. King, among others, " Led Zeppelin's guys were standing there watching him perform with their mouth open" Jack said. Calmes secured a contract deal for Freddie with Leon Russell's new label Shelter Records . Leon had been a fan of Freddie's sizzling guitar style for years. Leon was now creating the Oklahoma blues culture with the start up of his own label. Leon Russell record label included Joe Cocker and The Nitty Gitty Dirt Band. Leon spared no expense the sessions were top shelf he flew the studio crew to Chicago and recorded the first album "Getting Ready" at the old Chess Records studio. Freddie was allowed to showcase his showmanship, Leon wanted the listening audience to experience the brilliance and raw essences of Freddie King. Shelter was the perfect springbroad for Freddie's style of blues, hard driving and in your face. This collaboration put Freddie into the mainstream of the white blues /rock explosion. The release of "Getting Ready" produced Freddie's signature blues/rock hit "Going Down".

Releases:

Getting Ready 1971 SW8905

The Texas Cannonball 1972 SW8913

Woman Across The River 1973 SW8921

Freddie was now touring the Filmore circuit opening for acts like Grand Funk Railroad ( who referenced to playing poker with Freddie King all night long in their hit song " We are an American band" and Creedence Clearwater Revival and others. His touring with Eric Clapton formed a great Friendship between the two. Eric was living out a life long dream to perform side by side with one of his blues heroes. Freddie soon sign with Clapton's label RSO. Three albums were released:

Burglar 1974 SO4803

Freddie King Larger Than Life 1975 SO4811

Freddie King 1934-1976 Polydor/Polygram Records 831817-2

Freddie began feeling the years of roads traveled.but he continued to tour 300 days out of the year. He was like a man on a mission. He burn the candle at both ends. He soon developed an ulcer. His heatlh continued to deteriate and on December 28 1976 he died from complications of an acute ulcers and pancreatitis.

Twentyfive years after his death. Freddie King blazing blues continues to influence young muscians and stir the hearts of blues lovers every where. In 1993 by proclamation from the Texas Governor Ann Richards September 3, 1993, was declared Freddie King Day. This is a honor reserved for Lone Star legends such as Bob Wills, and Buddy Holly. Texas will always keep a blues light burning for the Texas Cannon ball Freddie King ...

The Federal Recordings: There's no shortage of collections of Freddie King's prime Federal recordings. The most comprehensive is Collectable's "The Very Best Of Freddy King Vol. 1-3" which collects everything King cut for Federal between 1960-1966. Ace's "Guitar Hero Vol. 1-2" is another fine set. The Modern blues label issued the 24 track "Just Pickin'" which collects both of King's all-instrumental albums for the King label ("Let's Hide Away and Dance Away with Freddy King" and "Freddy King Gives You a Bonanza of Instrumentals") on one tremendous disc.

Hide Away: The Best Of Freddy King (Rhino): Indispensable one disc, 20-cut anthology spanning his entire career. Includes his very first single "Country Boy", Federal classics like "Have You Ever Loved a Woman ", "I'm Tore Down", "The Stumble" plus 70's gems like "Going Down" and "Palace Of The King."

The Best Of The Shelter Years (The Right Stuff): King's Shelter years were covered completely on EMI's 2-CD "King of the Blues", which had everything from all three of his Shelter albums and then some. Although all of the 18 songs on this single-disc anthology were on "King of the Blues", this is a more manageable survey of the same era which wasn't King's best period. There's some fine material here including "Going Down," "Lowdown in Lodi," "Palace Of The King", "Woman Across the River" and several other gems.

Burglar (RSO): One of King's best but often overlooked records of the 70's. Produced in part by Mike Vernon this is an strong set of ten songs performed by King and a slew of guests including Eric Clapton and a fine horn section. Notable numbers include "Texas Flyer", the sizzling instrumental "Pulpwood" and "Come On (Let the Good Times Roll)."

Live Recordings: There's numerous live Freddie King recordings floating around with a few very good ones. Among the better ones are "Live In Germany", "Texas and Oklahoma Club Dates 75", "Live At The Electric Ballroom 74'" and "Live At The Texas Opry House" which was apparently King's last recording and shows him still in great form.

Video: There's a number of Freddie King videos that are worth while with he best being "The!!!! Beat." In 1966 a Black music variety show called The!!!! Beat ran for 26 segments and was shown in about a dozen major cities in the U.S. where there was a large blues and soul market. Freddie became a regular guest, making several appearances. The 14 great tunes including "Funny Bone", "Sitting On A Boat Dock", "She Put The Whammy On Me", "San-Ho-Zay" plus 3 tunes recorded in 1973 at a concert in Sweden. Other good video of King includes "Live In Europe" shot during three European concerts in 1973 and 1974, "Freddie King: Live at the Sugarbowl" shot at the Sugarbowl in South Carolina in 1972 and "Live In Dallas" performed at a TV studio in Dallas in 1973.

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2Alex Red:
Вот и его кусочек...

Freddie King - Tore Down Live at Sugarbowl 1972

Freddie King live 1973 Boogie Funk

Freddie King - Boogie Funk

Intro


Ghetto Woman


Ain't Nobody's Business


Have you ever loved a woman


Whole lotta lovin'


Look over yonder wall


Goin' Down


She put a whammy on me


Blues Band Shuffle


Shake Your Bootie (Musikladen)


San-Ho-Zay


I'm Tore Down


Ain't No Sunshine


Big Leg Woman

Freddie King in Dallas 1973


Have you ever loved a woman 13:28


Woman Across The River