Albert King
Albert King Nelson (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), known professionally as Albert King. He was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing. As one of the “Three Kings of the Blues Guitar” (along with B.B. King and Freddie King), he is perhaps best known for the 1967 single “Born Under a Bad Sign”.
In May 2013, King was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Albert was a big man and the Flying V guitar that was his weapon of choice. It was like a toy in his huge hands. He eschewed picks, preferring to pluck the strings with his fingers.
His bluesy bends and stinging notes influenced a later generation of players including Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Jimi Hendrix, among others.
The song “Blues Power” is from the album Live Wire/Blues Power by Albert King, recorded live in June 1968 at the Fillmore Auditorium. This was his first live album. Leftovers from these live recordings were released later in 1990 in the albums Wednesday Night in San Francisco and Thursday Night in San Francisco.
