The legendary Earl King in session for the BBC tonight, recorded on September 8, 1993. King was a mainstay in the New Orleans blues scene. An artist whose career spanned over several decades, and his contributions to Blues and the New Orleans sound have been inestimable.
From his early classic recordings for Specialty Records, King also recorded for a variety of labels, mostly small ones catering to the “Race” audience of the 1950s. King’s influence was powerful and those early sessions were memorable ones.
As with so many Blues artists of his generation, Earl King enjoyed huge popularity overseas, probably more so than in his native U.S. As a composer, King’s contributions, with such blues standards as I Hear You Knockin’ became permanent fixtures in the New Orleans music scene.
Tonight it’s one of the many sessions and concerts Earl King recorded while on tour in Europe. Recorded by the venerable BBC Radio 1, this session features Earl King as the elder statesman in the world of Blues and Blues guitar playing.
Sadly, Earl King died in 2003, leaving behind a rich legacy and a lot of great music along with memories of countless live shows and appearances in his native New Orleans as well as an enormous catalog of great music, much of which is still in print.
If you’re familiar with Earl King- this session pretty much spells it out for you – gifted Bluesman and talented composer. If you aren’t familiar with Earl King or have only heard a few things here and there, particularly some of his early material, then here’s a good place to dive into some of the best Blues and straight-up rock n’ roll from New Orleans, as imported to London in September of 1993.
Needless to say, it’s urged you crank this one up and get into it.
