# Vinyl review: Albert King – Born Under A Bad Sign – 2023: Video, Vinyl cover

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2023/02/10/vinyl-review-albert-king-born-under-a-bad-sign-2023-video-vinyl-cover/
- Published: 2023-02-10T00:04:46+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Craft Recordings celebrates Albert King’s centennial year with special vinyl and
hi-res digital reissues of his electrifying Stax Records debut, _Born Under a Bad
Sign._ Set for release on April 21 and available for pre-order, this highly influential
blues album features an all-star line-up of musicians (including Booker T & The 
M.G.’s and members of The Memphis Horns) and finds King performing the iconic, original
recording of “Born Under a Bad Sign,” plus classics like “Laundromat Blues,” “Oh
Pretty Woman,” and “Crosscut Saw.”**

Offering the highest-quality listening experience, this edition of _Born Under a
Bad Sign_ was pressed on 180-gram vinyl with (AAA) lacquers cut from the original
stereo tapes by Jeff Powell at Take Out Vinyl. The album will also be available 
in hi-res digital (192/24 and 96/24) and SACD (mastered from the original stereo
tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio).

Often referred to as one of the “Kings of the Blues,” alongside Freddie King and
B.B. King (no relation), Albert King (1923–1992) was one of the most influential
blues artists in history, revered for his deft artistry on the electric guitar (
most famously on a Gibson Flying V) and his deep, husky vocals. Combining an urgent
Delta blues style with contemporary soul rhythms, King redefined the genre for the
modern era.

Born on a cotton plantation in Mississippi, King was a self-taught musician, who
fashioned his first guitar out of a cigar box. When he purchased the real thing,
the left-handed artist taught himself how to play the instrument upside-down. Supporting
his career through a variety of jobs, King eventually moved north, first to Gary,
IN, where he recorded his debut singles and played alongside blues pioneer, Jimmy
Reed. In the mid-’50s, he relocated to the St. Louis area, where he built a following
in the club scene and released his first Top 20 R&B hit, “Don’t Throw Your Love 
on Me So Strong” (1961).

King eventually returned to the South, settling in the musical hub of Memphis, where
he promptly signed with the legendary soul label, Stax Records. There, King expanded
upon his sound, collaborating with a powerhouse team of in-house musicians, producers,
and songwriters, including Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, and William Bell. It 
was a winning combination, which found King scoring a multitude of hits on the R&
B charts, beginning with 1966’s “Laundromat Blues,” followed by “Crosscut Saw” and“
Born Under a Bad Sign” in 1967. It was the latter song, however, that became a blues
standard—nearly instantly. Penned by Bell and Jones, “Born Under a Bad Sign” had
major crossover appeal with rock audiences. Soon, acts like Cream and the Paul Butterfield
Blues Band were recording their own renditions.

The single also served as the title track to King’s debut LP with Stax. Released
in August 1967, _Born Under a Bad Sign_ compiled the above-mentioned singles, plus
originals like “The Hunter,” (penned by Booker T. & The M.G.’s, and Carl Wells),“
Personal Manager,” (by King and David Porter), and King’s own “Down Don’t Bother
Me.” King also recorded several standards, including Leiber & Stoller’s “Kansas 
City” and Ray Noble’s “The Very Thought of You.”

AllMusic argues that when King paired up with Booker T. & The M.G.’s, who served
as Stax’s house band, “Everything just clicked. The MG’s gave King supple Southern
support, providing an excellent contrast to his tightly wound lead guitar, allowing
him to unleash a torrent of blistering guitar runs that were profoundly influential,
not just in blues, but in rock & roll.” With the addition of the celebrated Memphis
Horns (who performed on sessions for Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, and Al Green, 
to name a few), these recordings were funky, swinging, and soulful.

_Born Under a Bad Sign_ would become King’s defining tour de force, securing his
place as one of the great blues musicians of the modern era. The album’s undeniable
influence, meanwhile, reverberated on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition to
Cream’s Eric Clapton, countless artists and bands emulated King’s sound, including
Stevie Ray Vaughan, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix. King also became a mainstream
star himself, frequently playing venues like the Fillmore West and sharing the stage
with rock music’s biggest acts.

In over 55 years since its release, the legacy of _Born Under a Bad Sign_ has only
continued to grow. The album was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame and the Blues
Hall of Fame, and added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry,
which recognizes recordings that are deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically
significant.” Long recognized as one of the best blues albums ever recorded, _Born
Under a Bad Sign_ was ranked among _Rolling Stone’s_ 500 Greatest Albums of All 
Time, while its title track was included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “500
Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll” roundup.

Following _Born Under a Bad Sign_, King continued to release a slew of top-selling
albums, including 1971’s _Lovejoy_, 1972’s _I’ll Play the Blues for You_, and 1968’
s _Live Wire/Blues Power_ (captured at the Fillmore Auditorium). In 1972, King joined
the likes of Isaac Hayes, Johnnie Taylor, and the Staples Singers on stage at the
historic Wattstax Festival, while years later, many of his memorable live performances
would be released by Stax, including the chart-topping _In Session_ with Stevie 
Ray Vaughn.

The GRAMMY-nominated artist continued to stay active in his later years, recording
and performing until his death in 1992. Among his many honors, King was inducted
into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1983 and was awarded the Rhythm and Blues Foundation’s
Pioneer Award in 1991. Posthumously, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, both in 2013.

**Born Under a Bad Sign tracklist (vinyl)**
 Side A Born Under A Bad Sign Crosscut
Saw Kansas City Oh, Pretty Woman Down Don’t Bother Me The Hunter

Side B
 I Almost Lost My Mind Personal Manager Laundromat Blues As The Years Go 
Passing by The Very Thought Of You

**Born Under a Bad Sign tracklist (hi-res digital)**
 Born Under A Bad Sign Crosscut
Saw Kansas City Oh, Pretty Woman Down Don’t Bother Me The Hunter I Almost Lost My
Mind Personal Manager Laundromat Blues As The Years Go Passing by The Very Thought
Of You

 

![Albert King Born Under a Bad Sign, album cover](https://i0.wp.com/z7y9t3r6.rocketcdn.
me/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2CropAlbertKing_CoverandVinyl_NoSticker.jpg-copy.jpg?
w=640&ssl=1)

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