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Freddie King | |
|---|---|
 King in 1975 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Fred Christian |
| Born | September 3, 1934 Gilmer, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | December 28, 1976 (aged 42) Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | Blues |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1952–1976 |
| Labels | |
| Spouse |
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| Website | www |
Freddie King (September 3, 1934 – December 28, 1976) was an American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with Albert King and B. B. King, none of whom was a blood relative).[1][2] Mostly known for his soulful and powerful voice and distinctive guitar playing, King had a major influence on electric blues music and on many later blues guitarists.
Born in Gilmer, Texas, King became acquainted with the guitar at the age of six. He started learning the guitar from his mother and his uncle. King moved to Chicago when he was a teenager; there he formed his first band the Every Hour Blues Boys with guitarist Jimmie Lee Robinson and drummer Frank "Sonny" Scott. As he was repeatedly being rejected by Chess Records, he got signed to Federal Records, and got his break with single "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" and instrumental "Hide Away", which reached number five on the Billboard magazine's rhythm and blues chart in 1961. It later became a blues standard. King based his guitar style on Texas blues and Chicago blues influences. The album Freddy King Sings showcased his singing talents and included the record chart hits "You've Got to Love Her with a Feeling" and "I'm Tore Down".[3] He later became involved with producers who were more oriented to rhythm and blues and rock and was one of the first bluesmen to have a multiracial backing band at performances.[4]
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by ZZ Top in 2012 and into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1982. His instrumental "Hide Away" was included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of "500 Songs that Shaped Rock".[5] He was ranked 19th in the Rolling Stone magazine's 2023 edition of 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.[6]
- ^ Trovato, Steve. "Three Kings of Blues". Hal Leonard. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
- ^ Leonard, Michael. "3 Kings of the Blues". Gibson. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
- ^ O'Neal, Jim (2008). "2008 Hall of Fame Inductees: Freddy King Sings – Freddie (Freddy) King (King, 1961)". The Blues Foundation. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
- ^ Koda, Cub. "Freddie King: Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved May 14, 2009.
- ^ "500 Songs that Shaped Rock". Infoplease. February 11, 2017.
- ^ "The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Rolling Stone. October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.