Freddie King was known as one of the “Three Kings of the Blues Guitar” – I’ve covered B.B. King’s Live in Cook County Jail, and Albert King’s Born Under a Bad Sign (released on Stax!) is another one of my favorite blues albums. Recorded and released in the latter half of a fruitful career, Getting Ready… provides a great argument as to why Freddie is placed among good company in the blues pantheon.

King’s acoustic pickings on “Dust My Broom” provide an early highlight – this song is a favorite of mine because it’s so simple. Elsewhere we hear mostly electric guitar, and King rips it on “Five Long Years” – an Elmore James classic. “Going Down” begins side 2 with what may be King’s single biggest hit. Leon Russell’s signature honky-tonk piano provide an uptempo accompaniment – Russell recorded Getting Ready… for his own Shelter Records label, which put a black mark over its logo (see above) for its litigious resemblance of the Superman logo.

“Walking by Myself”, with its string accompaniment and acoustic guitar is perhaps the most beautiful track here, also showcasing King as a strong vocalist. “(I’m) Tore Down” is notable for being the sole song here written by King, whose poor health and habits led to his untimely death of ulcers and pancreatitis at age 42.

Listen to Getting Ready… here.