Albert King - The Masters (1997)

Artist:
Albert King
Album: The Masters
Released: 1997
Source: Eagle Records
Genre: Blues
ormat: Eac.ape.cue - Covers. !"#97 Mb

Re!ie":
$ne o% the &Three Kings o% the Blues 'uitar& (along )ith B.B. King and *reddie King+#
he stood at least ,- &# )eighed in at least .,! lbs (11/ 0g+ and )as 0no)n as &The
1elvet Bulldo2er&. 3e )as born Albert 4elson on a cotton plantation in 5ndianola#
Mississippi. 6uring his childhood he )ould sing at a %a7il8 gospel group at a church.
3e began his pro%essional )or0 as a 7usician )ith a group called 5n The 'roove Bo8s#
in $sceola# Ar0ansas. 3e also brie%l8 pla8ed dru7s %or 9i778 Reed-s band and on
several earl8 Reed recordings. 5n%luenced b8 Blues 7usicians Blind :e7on 9e%%erson
and :onnie 9ohnson# but also interestingl8 3a)aiian 7usic# the electric guitar beca7e
his signature instru7ent# his pre%erence being the 'ibson *l8ing 1# )hich he na7ed
&:uc8&.
King )as a le%t-handed &upside-do)n;bac0)ards& guitarist. 3e )as le%t-handed# but
usuall8 pla8ed right-handed guitars %lipped over upside-do)n so the lo) E string )as
on the botto7. 5n later 8ears he pla8ed a custo7-7ade guitar that )as basicall8 le%t-
handed# but had the strings reversed (as he )as used to pla8ing+. 3e also used ver8
unorthodo< tunings (i.e.# tuning as lo) as C to allo) hi7 to 7a0e s)eeping string
bends+. A &less is 7ore& t8pe blues pla8er# he )as 0no)n %or his e<pressive &bending&
o% notes# a techni=ue characteristic o% blues guitarists.
3is %irst hit ca7e )ith &5-7 A :onel8 Man& )ritten b8 Bobbin Records A>R 7an and
%ello) guitar hero :ittle Milton# responsible %or King-s signing )ith the label. 3o)ever#
it )as not until his 19,1 release &6on-t Thro) ?our :ove on Me @o @trong& that he had
a 7aAor hit# reaching nu7ber %ourteen on the R>B charts. 5n 19,, he signed )ith the
%a7ous @ta< record label. Broduced b8 po)erhouse dru77er Al 9ac0son# 9r.# King )ith
Boo0er T. > the M's recorded do2ens o% hugel8 in%luential sides# such as &Crosscut
@a)& and &As the ?ears 'o Bassing B8&# and in 19,7 @ta< released the legendar8
albu7# Born Cnder A Bad @ign. The title trac0 o% that albu7 ()ritten b8 Boo0er T.
9ones and Dillia7 Bell+ beca7e King-s 7ost )ell 0no)n song and has been covered b8
7an8 artists (%ro7 Crea7 to 3o7er @i7pson+
Another land7ar0 albu7 %ollo)ed in :ive Dire;Blues Bo)er %ro7 one o% 7an8 se7inal
dates King pla8ed at pro7oter Bill 'raha7-s *ill7ore venues.
5n the 197!s# King )as tea7ed )ith 7e7bers o% The Bar-Ka8s and The Move7ent
(5saac 3a8es-s bac0ing group+# including bassist 9a7es Ale<ander and dru77er Dillie
3all adding strong *un0 ele7ents to his 7usic. Adding strings and 7ultiple rh8th7
guitarists# producers Allen 9ones and 3enr8 Bush created a )all o% sound that contrasted
the sparse# punch8 records King 7ade )ith Boo0er T. > the M's. A7ong these )as
another signature tune %or King )ith &5-ll Bla8 the Blues *or ?ou& in 197..
King in%luenced 7an8 later blues guitarists including Eric Clapton# 9i7i 3endri<# Mic0
Ta8lor# Darren 3a8nes# Mi0e Bloo7%ield# 'ar8 Moore# and especiall8 @tevie Ra8
1aughan# )ho also covered 7an8 o% King-s songs. 3e also had a pro%ound i7pact on
conte7poraries Albert Collins and $tis Rush. Clapton has said that his )or0 on the
19,7 Crea7 hit &@trange Bre)& and throughout the albu7 6israeli 'ears )as inspired
b8 King.
King died on 6ece7ber .1# 199. %ro7 a heart attac0 in Me7phis# Tennessee.
*ro7 Di0ipedia
*eaturing a good portion o% his classic sides# including the legendar8 Born Cnder a Bad
@ign.
Trac# $ist:
!1. Born under a bad sign !"E"!
!.. The ver8 thought o% 8ou !E..
!". Cold )o7en )ith )ar7 hearts !E1!
!. Truc0 load o% lovin- !E"F
!F. 3old hands )ith one another !EF1
!,. Cadillac asse7bl8 line !E.F
!7. De all )anna boogie !"E1/
!/. 5 get evil !"EF9
!9. Angel o% 7erc8 !FEF7
1!. ?ou upset 7e babe !E1F
11. :et 7e roc0 8ou eas8 !E
1.. :ove 7echanic !E!!
1". Call 78 Aob !E.7
1. 'ood ti7e Charl8 !E
1F. 4obod8 )ants a loser !FE!!
1,. 'et out o% 78 li%e !"E1
17. The %eeling !FE!!