Skip to main content

Earl King

 


Known as "The Poet Laureate of New Orleans", blues singer, song writer and guitarist Earl Silas Johnson IV, better known as "Earl King", was born in  New Orleans, Louisiana, on 7 February 1934. His father was a piano player. Earl started playing guitar when he was 15. He had also been singing gospel in Church choirs while at school. He started playing guitar in clubs where he met his role model, Guitar Slim. When Guitar Slim was injured in an accident in 1954, King took his place on a tour.  

King first recorded for Savoy Records in 1953. The following year he moved to Specialty/Ace Records. By 1960 he was recording for Imperial with Dave Bartholomew. In 1963 his recording contract ended and he concentrated on writing songs, including "Do Re Me" for Lee Dorsey. During that period he auditioned and recorded some material in Detroit for Motown. He returned to recording in the 1970s. 

Earl King died from complications arising from diabetes in New Orleans on 17 April 2003, age 69. Dr. John and Aaron Neville were among the many mourners who attended his funeral.

Image: Michael P. Smith/Bitter Southerner

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

June Bateman

June Bateman-Watts was born Marian June Batemon on November 17, 1939. The recording  “Believe me darling” by June Bateman appears on ILP 920, “50 Minutes 24 Seconds of Recorded Dynamite” as well as single WI 347. A single, "I don't wanna"/"Nobles Theme" was issued on Sue WI 347 in July 1965. June was understood to have retired to DeLand, Florida in 1984 and for some years played an active role in the annual  Noble “Thin Man” Watts festival .  "Rate Your Music" note that June Bateman died on  13 February 2016. Can anyone confirm, please. Chart position data not available. June Bateman | Undated | Jungle Hop | 14659 103 | 11 June 2025 | Updated
Post a Comment
Read more

Owen Gray

  Owen Grey | Copyright Control | 25006 Singer and song writer and musician Owen Gray was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 5 July 1939 and is regarded as a pioneer of Jamaican popular music. He won his first talent contest aged nine. By twelve he had joined a band, playing drums, guitar and keyboards. He became associated with Chris Blackwell in 1960, and was one of the first artistes to be produced by Blackwell. In 1962 he emigrated to the United Kingdom, toured Europe in 1964, and since 1966 became recognised as a soul as well as reggae singer. In the 1970s he relocated to New Orleans and then back to Jamaica. Since the 1980s he lived in Miami, Florida. Owen Grey died in London, UK, on 20 July, 2025.
Post a Comment
Read more

Anita Wood

  Anita Wood | Copyright Control | 25007 Anita Marie Wood Brewer was born in 1937 and was a girl friend for a time to Elvis Presley.  Her recording of  "Dream Baby"/ “This has happened before” (US Santo 9054, 1964) was issued on Sue WI 328. She sang with Andy Williams, uncredited, on his 1959 hit of “The Hawaiian Wedding Song” and appeared regularly in his television series. Anita Wood died  of pneumonia at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi,  on 29 June 2023, age 85.
Post a Comment
Read more