Freddie King - Getting Ready

LIMITED EDITION LP
DELUXE 180-GRAM REISSUE including original artwork & credits

The first of Freddie King’s three albums for Leon Russell’s Shelter label set the tone for his work for the company: superb electric blues with a prominent rock/soul influence. The massive Texan and the longhaired Oklahoman got it right the first time around with the aptly titled Getting Ready LP. Recorded at the legendary Chess studios in Chicago, it might well rank as Freddie King’s most creatively satisfying work.  

An array of styles is assembled here, ranging from deep Texas Blues to touches of country church Gospel and hard sockin’ funk. Also, Freddie delved deep into blues history to give his spin on some classic pieces of the genre. Elmore James’ “Dust My Broom” is done acoustically, with just Freddie and his Spanish guitar. The production on Jimmy Rogers’ “Walking by Myself” is equally low-fi, adding Russell’s honky-tonk piano ramblings and a tambourine. Willie Dixon’s “Worried Life Blues”, however, features King at his most powerfully expressive on this electric blues. The fast-paced stomper includes lightnin’-fast solos from King and he can be heard duelling with the studio guitarist Don Preston, as well. 

Elemental Music, together with Universal Music Group, present the best selection of 60’s & 70’s R&B, Soul, Funk, Disco, Jazz, Blues, Pop-Rock and Folk out-of-print titles from the vaults of classic labels such as Polydor, Motown, Chess, MGM, A&M, Mercury or Capitol Records, among others.

Tracklist

SIDE 1

1. SAME OLD BLUES (DON NIX) 
2. DUST MY BROOM (ELMORE JAMES) 
3. WORRIED LIFE BLUES (BIG MAYO) 
4. FIVE LONG YEARS (EDDIE BOYD) 
5. KEY TO THE HIGHWAY (BILL BROONZY-CHARLES SEGAR)

SIDE 2

1. GOING DOWN (DON NIX) 
2. LIVING ON THE HIGHWAY (LEON RUSSELL-DON NIX) WALKING BY MYSELF (LANE) 
3. TORE DOWN (SONNY THOMPSON) 
4. PALACE OF THE KING (LEON RUSSELL-DON NIX-DUCK DUNN)

Credits

FREDDIE KING—ELECTRIC GUITAR LEON RUSSELL—PIANO + GUITARS
DON PRESTON—GUITAR
JON GALLIE—ORGAN
DUCK DUNN—BASS
CHUCK BLACKWELL—DRUMS CHARLES MYERS—DRUMS
DUCK DUNN COURTESY OF STAX RECORDS 
RECORDED AT TER-MAR CHESS STUDIOS, CHICAGO 
REMIXED AT ARDENT STUDIOS, MEMPHIS
ENGINEER: JOHN FRY
VOCAL BACKING: CLAUDIA LENNEAR, KATHI McDONALD, DON PRESTON. JOEY COOPER
PRODUCED BY: LEON RUSSELL + DON NIX

Release date: January 9th, 2023.