Music Diary – 28th December

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 28th December!

Freddie King (3rd September 1934 – 28th December 1976)

On the 28th December 1976, Blues guitarist Freddie King died at the age of 42. Heart trouble and ulcers caused the death of the outstanding musician, who is often mentioned as one of the „Three Kings“ of Blues – beside Albert and B.B. King.

Already at the age of six years, Freddie was taught guitar lessons by his Mother Ella Mae and his uncle. In 1949 King moved with his family to Chicago, where he later get in touch with other great Blues musicians like Muddy Waters, Howlin‘ Wolf, T-Bone Walker, Elmore James and Sonny Boy Williamson. Freddie King’s first band was called „The Every Hour Blues Boys“, featuring Jimmie Lee Robinson on guitar and Frank „Sonny“ Scott on drums. Also in the fifties he played with many other Blues legends – Jimmy Rogers, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Eddie Taylor, Hound Dog Taylor, Willie Dixon, Memphis Slim and Little Walter.

In 1960, Freddie King was signed to the label Federal Records and on the 26th August his debut single „Have You Ever Loved a Woman“ backed with „You’ve Got to Love Her with a Feeling“ was released. Also during these sessions, the instrumental „Hide Away“ was recorded, which reached one year later No. 5 on the R&B Charts and No. 29 on the Pop Singles Charts in the USA.

During that time, Freddie toured with Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson and James Brown. The two LPs for Atlantic Records „Freddie King Is a Blues Master“ (1969) and „My Feeling for the Blues“ (1970) hit the stores, before Freddie King recorded the classic song „Goin‘ Down“ (1971), which was written by Leon Russell and Don Nix.

The LP „Burglar“ (1974) features guest appearances of Eric Clapton, George Terry, drummer Jamie Oldaker and bassist Carl Radle. After the release of „Larger Than Life“ (1975), King began suffering stomack ulcers. Complications from that sickness and an acute pancreatitis led to death. Freddie King died on the 28th December 1976 at the age of only 42 years.

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Music Diary – 15th February

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 15th February!

Michael Bernard „Mike“ Bloomfield (July 28, 1943 – February 15, 1981)

 On the 15th February 1981, an outstanding guitar player passed away:
Mr. Michael Bernard „Mike“ Bloomfield died at the age of only 38 years.

Mike Bloomfied was born on the 28th July 1943 in Chicago, Illinois (USA). Already in his teenage years, Mike was addicted to Blues music and early he began to play with local black musicians like Sleepy John Estes, Yank Rachell and Little Brother Montgomery. Among his early supporters, who recognised Mike’s talent, were  B. B. King, Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, Buddy Guy and Al Kooper, who said about him: „They knew this was not just another white boy; this was someone who truly understood what the blues were all about.“

In 1964, Mike joined the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, which included Elvin Bishop, Howlin‘ Wolf, Sam Lay and Jerome Arnold. Three years later, Bloomfield left the band, moved to San Francisco and founded Electric Flag with organist Barry Goldberg and singer Nick Gravenites. Drummer Buddy Miles completed the line-up and on the Monterey Pop Festival they performed for the very first time. In April 1968 the debut album „A Long Time Comin‘“ was released. Although the LP received excellent reviews, rivalries and Mike’s heroin abuse took a heavy toll on the band and so Bloomfield left with Gravenites Goldberg and bassist Harvey Brooks.

In 1968, Bloomfield crossed paths with Al Kooper again and they were thinking about, to record a jam album. With Mike’s mates Brooks, Goldberg and with drummer Eddie Hoh, the quintet recorded this legendary album. To complete the sessions, Kooper invited Stephen Stills – and the member of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young added his guitar parts for the LP, which was called „Super Session“ (released in July 1968).

One year later, Bloomfield’s first solo album „It’s Not Killing Me“ hit the stores and he worked with different artists and on several projects. Unfortunately Mike’s heroin addiction grew bigger and bigger and on 15th February 1981 he was found dead in his car. Mike Bloomfield died on an heroin overdors – he was only 38 years old.

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