Albert King (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992) was an
American blues guitarist and
singer.
Career
One of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with
B. B. King and
Freddie King), Albert King stood 6' 4" (192 cm) and weighed 250 lbs (118 kg)
and was known as "The Velvet Bulldozer". He was born Albert Nelson on a cotton plantation in
Indianola,
Mississippi. During his childhood he would sing at a family gospel group at a church. He began his professional work as a musician with a group called In The Groove Boys, in
Osceola, Arkansas.
He also briefly played drums for
Jimmy Reed's band and on several early Reed recordings. Influenced by blues musicians
Blind Lemon Jefferson and
Lonnie Johnson, but also interestingly Hawaiian music, the electric guitar became his signature instrument, his preference being the
Gibson Flying V, which he named "Lucy".
