Freddie King

Who was Freddie King?

Freddie King was an influential American blues guitarist and singer. He is often mentioned as one of "the Three Kings" of electric blues guitar along with Albert and B.B. King.

Freddie King based his guitar style on Texas and Chicago influences and was one of the first bluesmen to have a multi-racial backing band at live performances. He is best known for singles such as "Have You Ever Loved A Woman" and his Top 40 hit "Hide Away". He is also known for albums such as the early, instrumental-packed Let's Hide Away and Dance Away with Freddy King and the later album Burglar which displayed King's mature versatility as both player and singer in a range of blues and funk styles.

King became an influential guitarist with hits for Federal Records in the early 1960s. He inspired musicians such as Jerry Garcia, Dickey Betts, Stevie Ray Vaughan and his brother Jimmie Vaughan. His influence was also felt in Britain through recordings by blues artists such as Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and Chicken Shack. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.