Little Freddie King
Little Freddie King (born Fread Eugene Martin,[2][3] July 19, 1940) is an American Delta blues guitarist. His style is based on that of Freddie King, but his approach to country blues is original.[1]
Little Freddie King | |
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King at the French Quarter Festival, 2012 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Fread Eugene Martin |
Born | McComb, Mississippi, United States | July 19, 1940
Genres | Electric blues, Texas blues[1] |
Occupation(s) | Guitarist, vocalist |
Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
Years active | Mid 1950s–present |
Website | http://www.littlefreddieking.com/?cp=1 |
Biography
King, a cousin of Lightnin' Hopkins, was born in McComb, Mississippi, and learned to play the guitar from his father. In 1954, at the age of 14, he moved to New Orleans.[1][3] He performed in juke joints with his friends Babe Stovall, Slim Harpo, and Champion Jack Dupree, playing both acoustic and electric guitar.[4]
He recorded the first electric blues album in New Orleans with Harmonica Williams in 1969. In 1976, King undertook a European tour with Bo Diddley and John Lee Hooker.[5] His next recording opportunity came in 1996, twenty-seven years after his first, with the release of Swamp Boogie. King's Sing Sang Sung (2000) was recorded live at the Dream Palace in Faubourg Marigny.[1]
King is a charter member of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and has played at the festival for 42 years.[1] He is a member of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. He was selected three times as Blues Performer of the Year in New Orleans. He was honored with a Mississippi Blues Trail marker in McComb, Mississippi.[6]
His 2012 album, Chasing tha Blues, won Best Blues Album at the 12th Annual Independent Music Awards.[7]
King's most recent album, Messin’ Around tha Living Room, was released in 2015.[8]
He appears in the 2015 documentary film I Am the Blues.[9]
Discography
- Harmonica Williams and Little Freddie King (1969), Ahura Mazda Records
- Swamp Boogie (1996), Orleans Records
- Sing Sang Sung (live album) (2000), Orleans Records
- FQF Live (2003), WWOZ (Library of Congress Recording)
- You Don't Know What I Know (2005), Fat Possum Records
- Messin' Around tha House (2008), Madewright Records
- Gotta Walk with Da King (2010), Madewright Records
- Jazzfest Live (2011), MunckMix, Inc.
- Back in Vinyl, LP (2011), APO Records
- Chasing tha Blues (2012), Madewright Records
- Messin’ Around tha Living Room (2015), Madewright Records[3][10]
References
- Skelly, Richard. "Little Freddie King | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
- "Little Freddie King: A King's Life". Offbeat.com. 2008-06-01. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
- "Blues from New Orleans". Little Freddie King. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
- "Little Freddie King – Free listening, concerts, stats, & pictures at". Last.fm. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
- "Little Freddie King Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc". Musicmaker.org. 1940-07-19. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
- "Little Freddie King Blues Profile". Mnblues.com. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
- "The 12th Annual Independent Music Awards Winners Announced". Independent Music Awards. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
- "iTunes – Messin' Around tha Living Room". iTunes. 2015-02-17. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
- "Here Are 6 Must-See Music Films at Hot Docs". Exclaim!, April 19, 2016.
- "Little Freddie King | Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Little Freddie King. |
- Official website
- The Gutbucket King, multimedia profile of King by Barry Yeoman, published in The New New South.
- Videos and photograph at NME.com
- Little Freddie King on IMDb
- Works by or about Little Freddie King in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
- NAMM Oral History Interview March 19, 2015