Albert King
| Birth Name | Albert Nelson |
|---|---|
| Born | April 25, 1923 |
| Died | December 21, 1992 (aged 69) |
| Genres | Blues, soul blues |
| Instruments | Guitar, drums, vocals |
| Associated acts | Not found |
Albert Nelson (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), known by his stage name Albert King, was an American blues guitarist and singer whose playing influenced many other blues guitarists. He is perhaps best known for the popular and influential album Born Under a Bad Sign (1967) and its title track. He is one of the three performers (together with B.B. King and Freddie King) known as the “Kings of the Blues.” King was known for his “deep, dramatic sound that was widely imitated by both blues and rock guitarists.”
Video Playlist
1/3 videos
1
Born Under a Bad Sign
2
Oh! Pretty Woman
3
Blues Power
He was also known as “The Velvet Bulldozer” because of his smooth singing and large size—he stood taller than average, with sources reporting 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) or 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m), and weighed 250 lb (110 kg)—and also because he drove a bulldozer in one of his day jobs early in his career.
King was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1983. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2011, he was ranked #13 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
Albert King was born on a cotton plantation in Indianola, Mississippi. During childhood, he sang at a church with a family gospel group, in which his father played the guitar. One of 13 children, he grew up picking cotton on plantations near Forrest City, Arkansas, where the family moved when he was eight years old.
Guitarists Through The Decades
Top 3 Albert King Recordings
How To Play Guitar Like Albert King
Albert King: Guitar Play-Along Volume 177
The Guitar Play-Along Series will help you play your favorite songs quickly and easily! Just follow the tab, listen to the audio to hear how the guitar should sound, and then play along using the separate backing tracks. The melody and lyrics are also included in the book in case you want to sing, or to simply help you follow along.
The Essential Albert King
A Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Styles and Techniques of a Blues and Soul Legend Learn the trademark riffs and solos of this blues King! Provides in-depth analysis of 12 songs: Angel of Mercy * Answer to the Laundromat Blues * Blues Power * Born Under a Bad Sign * Crosscut Saw * Don’t Throw Your Love on Me So Strong * The Hunter * I Wanna Get Funky * I’ll Play the Blues for You * Laundromat Blues * Oh Pretty Woman * Personal Manager
