Albert King (born Nelson; April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992) was an American guitarist and singer. He is often considered one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists in history. He is best known for his popular album Born Under a Bad Sign (1967) and its title track. B. B. King, Freddie King, and Albert King, who were not related, were called the "Three Kings of the Blues." Albert King, who was left-handed, was known for his "deep, dramatic sound" that many blues and rock guitarists copied.

He was once called the "Velvet Bulldozer" because of his smooth singing voice and large size. He was taller than average, with some sources saying he was about 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 meters) or 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 meters) tall, and weighed about 250 pounds (110 kilograms). He also drove a bulldozer during one of his early jobs.

Albert King was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1983. He was later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after his death in 2013. In 2023, he was ranked number 22 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

Early life

Albert King was born on a cotton plantation in Indianola, Mississippi. As a child, he sang in a church with his family's gospel group, where his father played the guitar. He was one of 13 children and grew up picking cotton on plantations near Forrest City, Arkansas, after his family moved there when he was eight years old.

There was confusion about Albert King's background. He said he was born in Indianola on April 25, 1923, or 1924, and claimed to be B.B. King's half-brother (B.B. King's hometown was Indianola). However, documents suggest this may not be true. Albert mentioned that when he performed at Club Ebony in Indianola, people celebrated it as a homecoming. He also noted that B.B. King's father was named Albert King. When Albert applied for a Social Security card in 1942, he listed his birthplace as "Aboden" (likely Aberdeen, Mississippi) and signed his name as Albert Nelson, listing his father as Will Nelson. Musicians knew him as Albert Nelson during the 1940s and early 1950s.

In 1953, Albert began using the name Albert King to connect with B.B. King. He was introduced as "B.B. King's brother" and used the nickname "Blues Boy," which B.B. King also used. Albert named his guitar "Lucy," while B.B. King's guitar was called "Lucille." B.B. King later said, "He called his guitar 'Lucy,' and for a while he claimed to be my brother. That bothered me until I got to know him and realized he wasn't my brother in blood, but he sure was my brother in the blues."

Albert said his father left the family when he was five. At eight, he moved with his mother, Mary Blevins, and two sisters to an area near Forrest City, Arkansas. He also mentioned that his family had lived in Arcola, Mississippi, for a time. He made his first guitar from a cigar box, a piece of a bush, and a strand of broom wire. Later, he bought a real guitar for $1.25. As a left-handed person learning guitar on his own, he turned his guitar upside down. He worked in cotton fields, drove a bulldozer, and did construction until he could support himself as a musician.

Career

Albert King began his music career in a group called the Groove Boys in Osceola, Arkansas. He listened to and learned from famous Delta blues musicians like Elmore James and Robert Nighthawk.

In 1953, he moved to Gary, Indiana, where he briefly played drums in Jimmy Reed’s band and on some of Reed’s early recordings. In Gary, he recorded his first single, “Bad Luck Blues” backed with “Be On Your Merry Way,” for Parrot Records. The record sold a few copies but did not become popular. Parrot Records did not ask for more recordings or sign King to a long-term contract. In 1954, he returned to Osceola and rejoined the Groove Boys for two years.

In 1956, he moved to Brooklyn, Illinois, across the river from St. Louis, and formed a new band. He became a popular performer in St. Louis nightclubs, performing alongside Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm and Chuck Berry. In 1959, he signed with Little Milton’s Bobbin label and released a few singles, but none of them charted. However, King Records noticed his work and released his single “Don’t Throw Your Love on Me So Strong” in November 1961. The recording included musician Ike Turner on piano and became King’s first hit, reaching number 14 on the Billboard rhythm and blues (R&B) chart. The song was included on his first album, The Big Blues, in 1962. King left Bobbin in late 1962 and recorded one session for King Records. In 1963, he signed with jazz artist Leo Gooden’s Coun-Tree label and recorded two songs, but neither charted.

With few career opportunities, King moved to Memphis, where he signed with Stax Records. Produced by Al Jackson Jr., King and Booker T. & the MGs recorded many influential songs, such as “Crosscut Saw” and “As the Years Go Passing By.” In 1967, Stax released the album Born Under a Bad Sign, which included these songs. The title track, written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell, became King’s most famous song and was later covered by artists like Cream, Paul Rodgers, and Jimi Hendrix. The songs had a traditional blues sound but also felt modern. King’s success at Stax came from making his songs more upbeat and radio-friendly.

In 1968, King performed at Ike Turner’s Manhattan Club in East St. Louis when promoter Bill Graham offered him $1,600 to play three nights at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. One show was reviewed in the Cash Box magazine on March 23. Because King’s drummer was drafted, Electric Flag drummer Buddy Miles filled in. The article said Miles helped King’s performance. King released albums Live Wire/Blues Power, Wednesday Night in San Francisco, and Thursday Night in San Francisco from these concerts.

In 1969, King performed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. That same year, he released the album Years Gone By. In 1970, he released an Elvis Presley tribute album, Albert King Does the King’s Things, which included reworkings of Presley’s 1950s hits. Critics had mixed opinions about the results.

On June 6, 1970, King joined the Doors on stage at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, Canada. Recordings of this performance were released in 2010 by Rhino Records as Live in Vancouver 1970.

In 1971, he released the album Lovejoy, which included a cover of the Rolling Stones’ song “Honky Tonk Women.” To stay popular, King adopted the new sound of funk. In 1972, he recorded “I’ll Play the Blues for You,” featuring the Bar-Kays, Memphis Horns, and the Movement (Isaac Hayes’s backing group). He recorded another album with the Bar-Kays, I Wanna Get Funky (1974). He also appeared on a comedy album by Albert Brooks, A Star Is Bought (1975).

In 1975, King’s career declined when Stax Records went bankrupt. He moved to the small Utopia label and released Albert and Truckload of Lovin’ (1976). His third album for Utopia, King Albert (1977), had less standout material, and his guitar was less prominent. Clara McDaniel worked with King at Ned Love’s Club, leading to her touring with him in the Deep South in the 1970s. When McDaniel returned home, she managed King’s taxi fleet. King’s last recording for Utopia was Live Blues (1977), from his performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival. The track “As the Years Go Passing By” is notable for his duet with Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher.

In 1978, King moved to Tomato Records and recorded New Orleans Heat. The label paired him with R&B producer Allen Toussaint, who had created many hits in the 1960s and 1970s but had little experience working with blues artists. The album included new songs, such as Toussaint’s “Get Out of My Life, Woman,” and re-recordings of older songs, like “Born Under a Bad Sign.”

King took a four-year break from recording after poor sales of his albums in the late 1970s. During this time, he returned to his roots as a blues artist, focusing only on 12-bar guitar, bass, drums, and piano. In 1983, he released a live album for Fantasy Records, San Francisco ’83, which was nominated for a Grammy Award. The same year, he recorded a long television session for CHCH Television in Canada, featuring Stevie Ray Vaughan. This session was later released as an audio album and DVD titled In Session.

In 1984, King released the album I’m in a Phone Booth, Baby, which was also nominated for a Grammy Award. The album included a redo of “Truckload of Lovin’” and two songs by Elmore James, “Dust My Broom” and “The Sky Is Crying.”

King’s health problems led him to consider retiring in the 1980s, but he continued touring and performing at blues festivals. He used a customized Greyhound tour bus with “I’ll Play the Blues for You” painted on the side. His final album, Red House (named after the Jimi Hendrix song), was released in 1991.

At the time of his death, King

Death

King died from a heart attack on December 21, 1992, at his home in Memphis. His last concert was in Los Angeles two days before his death. A funeral procession was held, with the Memphis Horns playing "When the Saints Go Marching In." He was buried in Paradise Gardens Cemetery in Edmondson, Arkansas, near where he grew up. At the time of his death, King was not married.

Artistry

In the liner notes of I'll Play the Blues for You, Tom Wheeler of Guitar Player wrote: "Albert King is the Muhammad Ali of blues guitar – a heavyweight with finesse, a bruiser with grace. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." King's style is known for how he changes the volume and intensity of his playing. Wheeler also said, "Albert's deep voice is a sensitive blues instrument – sometimes strong, sometimes soft, often both. It is a personal voice, full of experience and humor, and just as unique as his guitar playing." King was left-handed but usually played right-handed guitars flipped upside-down, which influenced his sound.

King's first instrument was a diddley bow. Later, he made a cigar box guitar and eventually bought a Guild acoustic guitar. The instrument most often linked to him is a 1958 Gibson Flying V. In 1974, he began using a Flying V built by Dan Erlewine. After 1980, he also played one made by Bradley Prokopow. After 1987, Albert used a custom Archtop Flying V built by Tom Holmes at Billy Gibbons' request. This guitar was given to King for his 65th birthday and was sold by Gruhn Guitars to an unknown collector around 2017.

King was left-handed but usually played right-handed guitars flipped upside-down. He used a dropped open tuning, though reports vary: (C#-G#-B-E-G#-C#), open E-minor (C-B-E-G-B-E), or open F (C-F-C-F-A-D). Steve Cropper, who played rhythm guitar on many of King's Stax recordings, told Guitar Player that King tuned his guitar to C-B-E-F#-B-E (from lowest to highest string). Guitar maker Dan Erlewine said King used C-F-C-F-A-D with light-gauge strings (0.050", 0.038", 0.028", 0.024" wound, 0.012", 0.009"). The lighter strings and lower tension in the dropped tuning helped King create his signature string-bending technique.

For amplification, King used a solid-state Acoustic amplifier with a speaker cabinet containing two 15-inch speakers and a horn ("which may or may not have been used"). From the 1980s onward, he also used a Roland JC-120. Later in his career, he played an MXR Phase 90.

Legacy and influence

Albert King influenced many guitarists, including Jimi Hendrix, Mick Taylor, Derek Trucks, Duane Allman, Eric Clapton, Warren Haynes, Mike Bloomfield, and Joe Walsh (Joe Walsh spoke at King's funeral). He also influenced his contemporaries Albert Collins and Otis Rush. Stevie Ray Vaughan often said Albert King was his greatest influence. Eric Clapton stated that King's work on the 1967 Cream song "Strange Brew" and the album Disraeli Gears inspired him.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote: "Along with B. B. King and Freddie King, Albert King is one of the major influences on blues and rock guitar players. Without him, modern guitar music would not sound as it does. His style influenced blues players from Otis Rush and Robert Cray to Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan. King's strong sound and special way of making guitar strings bend greatly affected other musicians, especially in rock & roll. Many players who copy his style may not know Albert King's name or have heard his music. His style is easy to recognize, and he is considered one of the most important blues guitarists to ever play the electric guitar."

Throughout his career, King was nominated for two Grammy awards. In 1983, he was nominated for Best Traditional Blues Album for San Francisco '83. The next year, he was also nominated for I'm In A Phone Booth, Baby.

In 1983, King was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. He received a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame in 1993. In 2011, a marker was placed on the Mississippi Blues Trail in his hometown, Indianola. In 2013, he was inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.

King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. At the ceremony, Gary Clark Jr. performed King's song "Oh, Pretty Woman." Later, John Mayer and Booker T. Jones joined him to perform King's song "Born Under a Bad Sign."

Discography

• The Big Blues, also known as Traveling to California (1963)
• Born Under a Bad Sign (1967)
• Years Gone By (1969)
• Blues for Elvis – King Does the King's Things (1970)
• Lovejoy (1971)
• I'll Play the Blues for You (1972)
• I Wanna Get Funky (1974)
• Albert (1976)
• Truckload of Lovin' (1976)
• King Albert (1977)
• The Pinch, also known as The Blues Don't Change (1977)
• New Orleans Heat (1978)
• San Francisco '83, also known as Crosscut Saw: Albert King in San Francisco (1983)
• I'm in a Phone Booth, Baby (1984)
• The Lost Session (1971, released 1986)

Videography

• Maintenance Shop Blues (VHS), PBS (1981)
• Godfather of the Blues: His Last European Tour (DVD), P-Vine Records (2001)
• Live in Sweden, Image Entertainment (2004)
• In Session… Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Stax/Concord Music Group (2010)