Grateful Dead

Still trying to play The Stumble to right way!

Wow, I had different view of the Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughn video.I thought Stevie was respectful like he was looking up to one of the Masters. Albert was all about feel and emotion. Hendrix said he liked that Albert played one style , straight funk blues. Clapton , Hendrix , Mick Taylor and a lot of the British players copied his fat sound. I like all the Kings. I always thought B.B. and Albert were singers first and player second. Now Freddie was a bit rough and could make that guitar howl.

I keep forgetting about that one, mp51-so thanks for reminding me. I have heard a couple of tracks on Stax compilations, and they are stellar. I have to disagree with your good self, though, Thin. The Born Under a Bad Sign album is full of variety, with blues standards, ballads-and what would become blues rock classics. That's variety just on the one album-there's plenty more as he branches out live on live Wire-Blues Power and then into soul music as the 70s progressed. He had a signature style, for sure,but I can happily listen to his albums all the way thorough without hearing the same song with different titles. I must also say that there are plenty of band credits on cds I have got. Again, Born Under A Bad Sign is fully credited, as are many others. One that isn't, is the afore mentioned Live Wire-Blues Power, although the accompanying volumes-Wednesday Night and Thursday Night in San Francisco both list who is playing what. I wonder if the cds you have are on budget labels, which may have been a bit more slapdash in their presentation. Albert was also a major influence on Eric Clapton-Strange Brew is a composite of Alberts licks from Oh, Pretty Woman-with psychedelic lyrics added. Sorry for being disputatious-I agree that Freddie and B.B. are great too-Live at The Regal is another blues album everyone should own.

final Comes A Time and they did allright. feels like waving goodbye forever to a friend or something.

Once you've heard 2 or 3 of his songs you've heard them all. Plays a lot of the same hooks over and over in different songs. He was known to be a bit abrasive I believe. His albums all credit "Albert King - guitar & vocals" and thats it! No bass player/drummer acknowledgement. I think he borrowed guys wherever he went, and sometimes brought his own guys but was careful not to share recognition or album credits - Looking out for #1. Also, it's funny to listen to him patronize Stevie Ray Vaughan on that joint album: "You'll get better, you'll get better..." while Stevie is CLEARLY kicking Albert's ass with his Strat. Freddie King on the other hand has a little more diversity on his music (some songs with lyrics, and many without), and could shred like crazy. Tone for days. I love Freddie... he was a huge influence on Clapton. Then there's Riley B. King, aka "B.B.", aka God. The gospel can be heard on "Live at the Regal". If you don't have this album, get it. No one should be walking around unaware of that one....

another album you should try to find is "jammed together" with albert king, steve cropper, and pops staples. check it out!!!!

This a good one: https://archive.org/details/gd1973-12-01.sbd.clugston.6648.sbefail.shnf… So good it gets it's own track - two in fact! Track 20 is great! And of course don't forget the Microphone Monitor Level Test after Cumberland Blues here: https://archive.org/details/gd71-04-22.sbd.clugston.2176.sbeok.shnf/gd7… Calling Dr. Beechwood: https://archive.org/details/gd77-05-13.sbd.miller.9393.sbeok.shnf#

Hippychic - great name btw - check out the dead air after Cumberland Blues on 4/14/72. There's a great band / audience exchange there, with Bobby, Pigpen, and Jerry all getting in the act. No banter mix would be complete w/out it.

I was lucky enough to see Albert King live, probably the last time he came to England, in 1987. It was at a scuzzy rock joint called the Astoria on Tottenham Court Road in London-the kind of place where there are few seats, and the soles of you shoes stick to the floor from decades of spilt beer. I was at the bar when Albert and his band came on, and I was amazed at the sound he was getting from his guitar, and the deep, soulful meaning of his voice and initial song-which I wasn't familiar with. The closer I got to the stage-and the hall wasn't full-so it was easy to get right up close-the more I fell under his spell. It was quite simply one of the best displays of blues I have ever heard in my life-nothing fancy or showy-just the real deal. Of all his albums-and I'll Play the Blues is a good 'un- the most lauded, and to my mind, the best is the 1967 one he cut with Booker T. and the MGs-Born Under A Bad Sign. The tone of his guitar is fantastic, and what he does with it exceptional. The songs are varied and mostly excellent too. A few weeks ago I wrote that the Robert Johnson was the one blues album everyone should own. This is another one. It has also been released numerous times-but the one with the best sound was released in the Stax Remasters series in 2013. It has the original album, plus 4 alternate takes and an untitled instrumental. You should treat yourself at least once everyday-and buying this bad boy would be great way to do it.