Freddie King
Freddie King (September 3, 1934 – December 28, 1976), thought to have been … Read Full Bio ↴Freddie King (September 3, 1934 – December 28, 1976), thought to have been born as Frederick Christian in Gilmer, Texas, originally recording as Freddy King, and nicknamed "the Texas Cannonball", was an influential African-American blues guitarist and singer. He is often mentioned as one of "the Three Kings" of electric blues guitar, along with Albert King and B.B. King (though he was the youngest of the three).
King's mother, Ella May King, and her brother, who both played the guitar, began teaching him 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 started gigged at night and working days in a steel mill (by then he had married a Texas girl, Jessie Burnett). 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.
In 1959 he met Sonny Thompson, a pianist who worked for the King/Fedreal 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: "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.
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
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 a supporting cast of top-calibre session musicians -- including Russell, a rock pianist.
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.
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.
King's mother, Ella May King, and her brother, who both played the guitar, began teaching him 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 started gigged at night and working days in a steel mill (by then he had married a Texas girl, Jessie Burnett). 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.
In 1959 he met Sonny Thompson, a pianist who worked for the King/Fedreal 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: "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.
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
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 a supporting cast of top-calibre session musicians -- including Russell, a rock pianist.
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.
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.
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Freddie King Lyrics
Ain Ain't no sunshine when she's gone It's not warm when she's…
Ain't No Big Deal On You Hey! When you first left me baby, I'll swim the…
Ain't No Sunshine Ain't no sunshine when she's gone It's not warm when she's…
Ain't Nobody's Business There is nothing I can do, nothing I can say…
Ain't Nobody's Business What We Do One day we have ham and bacon And the next day…
Ain't That I Don't Love You It ain't that I don't love you It ain't that I…
Aint No Sunshine Ain't no sunshine when she's gone It's not warm when she's…
Big Leg Woman I love the tip, I love the top I love you…
Big Legged Woman I love the tip, I love the top, I love…
Blue Shadows Blue shadows fallin', since my baby went away now Blue shado…
Boogie Man I gotta funky reputation .......... Cause I like to get low…
Can't Trust Your Neighbor Hit me in the the eye, maybe I can see…
Christmas Tears I hear sleigh bells ring I haven't heard a word from…
Country Boy [Freddy] I'm just a little country boy Lookin' for my…
Dust My Broom I'm gon' get up in the morning I believe I'll dust…
Five Long Years Lord, have you ever been mistreated Then you got to, you…
Full Time Love I got a find me a full time love Yes, a…
Get Out of My Life Woman You don't love me no more Get out my life woman You…
Gimme Some Lovin' Hey! Well my temperature's rising And my feet left the flo…
Goin Down I'm going down I'm going, down, down, down Down, down Yes…
Going Down I'm going down I'm going, down, down, down, down, down Yes, …
Have You Ever Loved A Woman Have you ever loved a woman So much you tremble in…
Have You Ever Loved a Woman? Have you ever loved a woman So much you tremble in…
Help Me Through The Day Help me thorugh the day Help me throught the night Darling…
Hey Baby Hey, hey hey baby! I want to know if you'll be…
Hide Away I don't want you to be no slave I don't want…
How Many More Years Intro (12 bar) How many more years, I got to let you…
I Well, I'm tore down I'm almost level with the ground Well, I…
I Don't Know It ain't that I don't love you It ain't that I…
I Had A Dream I had a dream last night, Lord it wasn't me I…
I Just Want to Make Love to You I don't want you to be no slave I don't want…
I Know I know that you've been good to me And I know…
I Love That Woman It ain't that I don't love you It ain't that I…
I Love The Woman I Love The Woman Trk 6 (Myles, Nath) Freddy King…
I'd Rather Be Blind Well I travel the higway I make many scenes. Being lost…
I'm Ready Well, I'm ready, I'm willin', and I'm able to rock…
I'm Tore Down Well, I'm tore down I'm almost level with the ground Well, I…
If You Believe Niga hamyeonGOODnaega hamyeon kkeut Eotteohge maeil naega te…
Im Ready Well, I'm ready, I'm willin', and I'm able to rock…
Im Tore Down Well, I'm tore down I'm almost level with the ground Well, I…
It's Too Bad Things Are Going so Tough It's too bad, things are going so tough with me…
It's Too Late She's Gone It′s too late, she's gone Wished I had told her she…
It's Too Late, She's Gone It's too late, she's gone Wished I had told her she…
I´m Tore Down Well, I'm tore down I'm almost level with the ground Well, I…
Just A Little Bit Flashlyrics Just a Little Bit Lyrics I don′t want it babe,…
Key To The Highway I've got the key to the highway Billed out and bound…
Leave My Woman Alone If you don't want, you don't have to (get in…
Let The Good Times Roll People talkin' but they just don't know What's in my heart,…
Living In The Palace Of The King I was born down in Dallas, raised up in the…
Living On The Highway Living on the Highway …
Lonesome Whistle Blues (Woo-ooo-woo-ooo-woo-ooo) (Woo-ooo-woo-ooo-woo-ooo) (Woo-ooo…
Look On Yonder Wall Look on yonder wall and hand me down my walkin'…
Love Her With a Feeling Now if you wanna love that woman You love her with…
Lowdown In Lodi Just about a year ago, I set out on the…
Make Love to You I don't want you to be no slave I don't want…
Me And My Guitar When my baby leaves me, there is nothing I can…
My Feeling For The Blues Spoken: I know you heard about the blues But I…
Only Getting Second Best Years past by... And I'm marking my time Waiting for the…
Pack It Up My head is spinnin' around And I'm thinkin' my thoughts…
Palace of the King I was born down in Dallas, raised up in the city…
Play It Cool Some people can love one at time Say every woman bears…
Please Send Me Someone To Love Heaven please send to all mankind, Understanding and peace o…
Reconsider Baby Well, so long Oh, how I hate to see you go Yes,…
Same Old Blues Morning rain keeps on falling Like the tears that fall…
See See Baby See-See Baby (King, Thompson) Freddy King Freddy King …
Some Old Blues Morning rain keeps on falling Like the tears that fall…
Someday After A While I've got to ride that lonesome train My heart is heavy…
Something You Got Something you got, baby Makes me work all day Something you …
Stormy Monday They call it stormy Monday, but Tuesday's just as bad…
Sugar Sweet I'm gonna tell you about my baby I speak of her…
Sweet Home Chicago Come on, baby don't you want to go Come on, baby…
Takin' Care of Business I gotta gal lives a way cross town She don't stand…
that You told me baby, once upon a time You said if…
That Will Never Do Well, my baby collects my paycheck She's spending free and w…
That's All Right You told me baby, once upon a time You said if…
That's What You Think That's What You Think (Whitfield, Washington) Freddy King Ro…
Thats All Right You told me baby, once upon a time You said if…
The Danger Zone Sad and lonely all the time That's because I've got a…
The Sky Is Crying The sky is crying, Can you see the tears roll down…
Tore Down I'm tore down, I'm almost level with the ground I'm tore…
Trouble In Mind The sun gonna shine In my back door someday Trouble in m…
Turns Its Back On You Now what you gonna do, when the welfare turn its…
Walking By Myself Walkin' by myself, I hope you'll understand I just walk to…
What Well now, it's all over 'Cause now you say we're through You…
Woke Up This Morning I woke up this morning, my baby was gone Woke…
Woman Across The River Across the river a good woman cried All because a foolish…
Worried Life Blues I don't care, alone you go I don't care, alone you…
Yonder Wall Look on yonder wall and hand me down my walkin'…
You Something you got, baby Makes me work all day Something you …
You Know That You Love Me It ain't that I don't love you It ain't that I…
You Was Wrong You were wrong, you were wrong You were wrong, yeah, you…
You Were Wrong You were wrong, you were wrong You were wrong, yeah,…
You're the One I don't want you to be no slave I don't want…
You've Got to Love Her With a Feeling Now if you wanna love that woman You love her with…
You’ve Got To Love Her With A Feeling Now if you wanna love that woman You love her with…