Freddie King (KING Freddy)

He showed the world the Texas guitar style long before the other legends come from the "Lone Star State" - Stevie Ray Vaughan and Billy Gibbons - played their first faces. Freddie King, nicknamed "The Texas bomb" was not only a massive physique, but also has an important influence on subsequent generations of guitarists. Although the second part of the name someone might confuse it with BB King or Albert King, Freddie's playing style was quite unique. It was heard of his rural blues roots and aggressive, inventive phrasing, which is reflected in it became the classic guitar instrumentals such as "Hide Away", as well as ballads such as "Have You Ever Loved a Woman". Freddie was one of several well-known "urban" bluesmen who have made an electric guitar the symbol of modern music.

History and influence.

F. King was born (1934) and grew up on a farm in the suburb of Mr.. Gilmer in East Texas. The first chords on the guitar he taught his stepmother and his uncle. Like many teenagers in Texas 40-ies, was interested in guitar and country blues, F. King grew up on the music of such performers as the "Blind" Lemon Jefferson and Lightning Hopkins. Jefferson, whose progressive bass lines and relentless rhythm is determined by the rural blues of Texas 20-ies, has long been dead by that time, as F. King began to play. Hopkins, however, continued its tradition in the postwar period in a roll, electrified form. In addition, King has borrowed its "elitist" rhythm & blues style from his idol, Louis Jordan - Saxophonist, . singer and leader of the jump-blues band, . performed the exquisite, . entertainment music, . prevailed at the "black" radio waves in the mid 40's,
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Freddy and his family moved to Chicago in 1950 - the time zenith Chicago blues. By the time he had heard there the giant record - Muddy Waters and Jimmy Reed. Now he had the opportunity to see them near the scene. Soon Freddy imbued accompanists playing these performers - Eddie Taylor at D. Reed and guitarists Muddy Waters - Jimmy Rogers (not to be confused with country singer) and Robert Lockwood "Junior". All three were masters of Chicago blues elektrogitarnogo with his characteristic combination of rhythm and melody. This style is perfect approached finger style playing King mastered his home in Texas. In its exploration King especially helped R. Lockwood, who also possessed knowledge of jazz harmony and Freddie taught some tricky chords.

Even in the age of 16 F. King was a great-looking, and went down for an adult, got a job in the mill shop. Spend their days in hard physical labor and nights in a rhythm & blues clubs, King, at the same time trying to break through as a singer in a bitter struggle with the same young talents of Buddy Guy, Otis Rush and Magic Sam on the west end of town. Students demanded that the musicians were laid on the stage as they are in their daily work and could not forgive hack-work.

A year later King published his first electric guitar and he began to earn some money in the accompanying convoys. He had his own band, the Every Hour Blues Boys, and by the mid-50's he began working as a session musician on firms Parrot and Shess. His first solo single, "Country Boy" was released in 1957,. the firm El-Bee. Although he did not have much success with the public, in this period began to grow reputation F. King - singer and guitarist. After seven years of work in the mill shop and in clubs, King finally able to throw a day's earnings, and work only as a musician. At the same time formed King's style of play, combining his rural blues roots, skillful game of individual notes in the spirit of BB King and the energy of club performances in Chicago. King's breakthrough took place in 1960, when Chicago guitarist Force Johnson introduced him to Sonny Thompson, a representative label King Records.

Was in Cincinnati, Ohio, this label was the largest independent firm, produced by black artists, second only to Chicago's Chess Records. Sonny Thompson was a pianist, arranger and conductor of the orchestra sessional King Records. He placed the King's performing skills in the sound environment in which attention to the voice and guitar Freddie distributed evenly. The first single "You've Got to Love Her With a Feeling" (released as most of King's works, a branch of Kings Records - "Federal") had some success. This was followed by a similar ballad "I Love the Woman." (1961). To everyone's surprise, its flip side - guitar instrumental "Hide Away" (named for the club "Mel's Hide Away Lounge") was enthusiastically adopted by the audience and praised King for the whole country.

"Hide Away" was composed by King actually a medley of several existing motives. The main theme, for example, previously used the Hound-Dog Taylor in his "Taylor's Boogie" and Elmore James in "Bobby's Rock," but its roots are deeper - in Leon McAuliffe's "Steel Guitar Rag." Another theme was inspired by "The Walk" Jimmy McCracklin. The highlight song is its stop-time, where the King used one of jazz chords, the lessons from Robert Lockwood, followed by a quick downward phrase Sexton, charmed many guitarists of that time (see. Example 3).

After the success of "Hide Away" record for Federal Records Freddie began to emerge one after another. In 1961. the company released its first album, King, "Freddy King Sings", which really was represented by its excellent voice in things "Have You Ever Loved a Woman", "Lonesome Whistle Blues", "I'm Torn Down" and other. In the same year, King recorded the album of instrumentals Let's Hide Away and Dance Away with Freddy King, which included 11 new items in addition to "Hide Away". The now classic "Sen-Sa-Shun," "Side Tracked," "The Stumble," "San-Ho-Zay" and "Just Pickin '" from this album were recorded in one day.

The names of most of the tracks have been given no King, but the leadership of the label. His instrumentals King skillfully constructed under the scheme: simple, catchy melody (often based on any well-known motif), the same thrilling account solo, returning to the melody. As a result, composition was not occupied more than three minutes. King has played into the hands of the popularity of surf-rock instrumentals with him, and in 1963. album, Let's Hide Away: was reissued with a new cover and new name "Freddy King Goes Surfin '".

By 1963, Mr.. King reached the financial well-being and bought a house in Dallas. He continued to record for Federal, and in 1965. released another, though not so lucky, album, Freddy King Gives You a Bonanza of Instrumentals. By the time Soul has replaced the blues as the most popular style among black audiences, . but at the same time began to grow in popularity among whites King listeners, . first, . with a cover version of his compositions, . which made leading British guitarists - Eric Clapton, . Mick Taylor and Peter Green,
. Clapton, in particular, especially admired the ingenuity and energy of improvisation King, and, in addition to his hobbies "albertkingizmami" in the late 60's, openly acknowledged the influence of priority F. King on his game in comparison with other bluesmen.

In 1968. King moved to the label, Atlantic-Cotillion. His career was in full swing, Freddy made many appearances on the sites of colleges and festivals. His recordings have become more polished, but his live sound remained the same in a loud and assertive. In the guitar duels on stage Freddy outplayed not one star blues-rock. Clapton recorded a version of the song "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" on their album "Derek and the Dominos" in 1970, further raising the interest to the author of this thing. Last meanwhile again moved to another label (this time Shelter Records), which recorded one more thing his classic "Going Down" (1971). Another label change in 1974 led King to the company RSO, which failed to effectively convey its corporate sound.

Unlike many bluesmen, whose career waned in the mid-70's, F. King continued to record and perform active. The unexpected for all the death of a musician - 28 December 1976. He died of a heart attack aged just 42 years.

Style and tricks.

Like most guitar players, brought up on country blues, F. King started playing finger style, but, unlike his Texas contemporaries Albert Collins with his play in open tuning with Capo, preferred the standard setting. After moving to Chicago under the influence of guitarists Jimmy Rogers, Muddy Waters and Eddie Taylor Freddie began to use the "claw" - the plastic on the thumb and iron - on the index. He also became muted strings right wrist, which allowed him to control the dynamics of sound production. This combination of sharp, metallic sound on the upper strings with the muffled sound on the lower was his signature sound, the. Style F. King also included a rhythmic game, taken over from Jimmy Rogers and Eddie Taylor in conjunction with solo lines, T-Bone Walker and BBKing
. Today, of the bluesmen, . bearing the "royal" name, . best known and BBKing Albert King, . However, during the lifetime of Freddy King was with them on equal, . taking place of honor in the link between the first generation of "swing" electric guitarist, and then surging waves of blues-rock musicians,
. New generation of guitarists uchilos y *. King how to fill the musical space of the raw energy of the blues and as a set coolest phrases to create a musical work. This lesson should take and the future guitarists.

Guitars and Equipment.

F. King, played on acoustic guitars to 17 years, when I received my first electric Kay. In all its records up to 1965. He plays the Les Paul Gold Top 1954 release with singles R-90. In 1965, Mr.. He switched to fine stereo poluakustiku Gibson ES-345 with a humbucker, then the model ES-355. These semi-acoustic instruments more surround sound through their body and electronics, however, regardless of guitars, the acute attack of sound F. King has always been its hallmark.

As for amplifiers, F. King admired them for their volume, and the most powerful at that time was Fender Dual Showman. Later, he used a Fender Quad Reverb, a massive combo with 4x12 speakers and 300 watts of power, which is also very fond of Albert Collins. As for the effects, most blues guitarists of the era did not enjoy anything other than reverb.