Q&A With Delta Blues Guitarist Little Freddie King

Exclusive Interview by Karen Beishuizen
Photos courtesy of Little Freddie King and Michael Terranova

Little Freddie King is a Delta blues guitarist from McComb, Mississippi. He moved to New Orleans when he was just 14. He recorded the first electric blues album in 1970 and which was released in 1971. King is a charter member of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and has played at the festival for 42 years. He performs twice a week on Fridays at the DBA Music Club on Frenchmen Street, and once a week at his home base, BJ’s Lounge, on Burgundy St. You know what to do when you are in New Orleans: Go Check Out Little Freddie King!

KB: Did you always want to be a musician growing up?

My grandfather used to play the fiddle. My daddy used to play guitar a whole lot and blow harp. He would play weddings and suppers. I was introduced to the guitar by my father. Always had a liking for the guitar and the different sounds you could get out of it. My dad always left his guitar sitting in the corner, behind the door. I was wild about his guitar. As I got older my daddy saw I was interested in playing the guitar, so he used to sit me down and show me a few easy chords, but I never could use them correctly, until years later when I taught myself.

KB: How did you teach yourself?

When I eventually came to New Orleans, I bought me an acoustic guitar for 12 dollars. I bought me an acoustic guitar when I was 16 years old back in 1956. Every day at lunch hour I would play it. When I got off from work, I would walk down the street playing it. I was working at Johnson’s Gas Station on Claiborne Avenue, I played every day, and I got better and a little better and a lotta folks used to call me “Guitar Freddie” because every time you see Freddie, he’s got a guitar.

After that I kept on working and got enough money so I could buy my own electric guitar. I went to Sears & Roebuck on Baronne Street and got a Silverstone guitar with the amplifier built into the case, the cheapest one they had about $100. $5 down and $5 a month. I was hot stuff then. I paid for that one and that one lasted a long time. So, the next couple of months I went and bought a little 45 record player.

I came home with it and put the records on there and they played too fast; my brain would not pick it up. There were three speeds to it, so I decided I must slow it down, I put it on 78 and that was too fast – it was like a jet taking off – so then I put it on 33 and a third and that broke it all the way down and it started dragging. That was just what I wanted. I could follow that music note by note and that is how I really learned how to play. I never took lessons, had no extra money for that. Just taught myself by trial and error.

KB: What is Delta Blues? How would you describe it?

I play a country-style delta blues that is raw and expressive of American folk music from Mississippi in the early 20th century. When I first came to New Orleans, I started listening to other local artist and some of my friends that had migrated to N.O. from Mississippi in the 50s. I kind of incorporated my sound into what I call “Urban meets Country”. My raw primal delivery is from the heart and songs based on my trials and tribulations living in the black community. I self-named my style as “Gutbucket Blues”. It so low down you cannot get any lower, in the gutter. In my early days they tagged me “Rough & Tumble” being as I survived being shot several time and stabbed twice in bar fights etc. As I got older, I started making my music more fun and interesting stories about my adventures, and got away from the hard times. At 84 years old, I am putting on a happy face.

KB: You recorded the first electric blues album in New Orleans. What do you remember about that day?

We recorded in 1970 and it was released in 1971. Two students from Tulane, students Steve E. Johnson III and Parker Dinkins, use to hang out in the black bar rooms for the music. They would always come by and hear us play. Steve asked me to teach him bass guitar, so I did. I remember one night Steve told me he liked the way we all played. Let’s get the band together and cut a record. I was hesitant about that. I did not think we were good enough for that yet. He told me “Oh yes you are”. I knew Williams could already blow go with the harmonica; he could really blow. I told Steve in a couple of years we might be good enough. He did not believe me and told me we were good enough right now. I told him maybe we will try it out, so we went ahead.

We first did it in Newton’s bar, which he called “Crystal Palace” located on Thalia Street. The entire band drank out of their minds and heavily distorted results; it was so noisy in there. Steve suggested asking Gary Edwards if we could use his unfinished studio on Treasure Street or Mandeville Street, I forgot which street. Gary was well-known for his music producer, booking bands for overseas gigs and audio equipment shop on Bienville Street in the city. Gary’s main love was recording gospel. My band consisting of Harmonica Williams, Newton Greer (sang one song which became a regional hit), A.B. Bruer (bass), Rudy Taylor (drums) and of course me on guitar. The LP is raw and primal, consisted by critics to be the first New Orleans Recording of Amplified Blues. I don’t know if it true or not. They named the vinyl LP “Harmonica Williams with Little Freddie King” known unofficially as Rock ‘n’ Roll Blues.

KB: You played with Bo Diddley and John Lee Hooker?

A guy from Palo Alto, California would come down every year and get Babe Stovall and me and a lot of other guys to bring back on the West Coast to do bunch of colleges. My good buddy, Polka Dot Slim, told him to consider bringing Little Freddie King. The guy said, “I heard of him. I’ve got his album – sure, please let me meet him”. So, he and Polka Dot came over and asked me to go with him and do some jobs for the community colleges. He took us to the West Coast that is where I met John Lee Hooker at his club we were performing named Sofie’s Lounge. I played on a bill with my home boy, Bo Diddley, who happened to live a few blocks away from me in McComb, Mississippi. I was a youngest then in my early 30s. We had fun drinking beer by the pitcher.

KB: You performed at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival for 42 years. What makes this festival so special?

I am a Charter Member to the NOJF having performed at the first one in 1970. In 55 years of performing there, I only missed one year when I was sick. What makes it special is that I knew Quint Davis from my recording days and him hanging out with Steve Johnson and Parker. Quint went to Tulane and was starting up a small festival in Congo Square, which is where the Municipal Auditorium is located on Rampart Street. That’s why it is special to me, because I have been friends with Quint a long long time. In addition, performing there opens up the entire World to your music. Folks from all over the place come to see da KING.

KB: Are there any current artists who you would love to collaborate with and why?

Sorry to say, NO. My music is unique to me. I play a style that is considered “jump timing”. It’s not a 12 bar blues lick, it may be 13 or whatever. Other guitar players would have a difficult time with it. So, I keep to myself. The so called blues players today really play a rock blues. They have a hard edge to their music by using all those pedals and making crazy sounds. I like my thumb and no pick and no pedals, just straightaway nasty from the soul feeling.

KB: You can make an album with 7 of your most favorite songs (not your own): which songs would you pick and why?

Funny you asked that question: In 2023 I recorded an LP for a New York label Newvelle Records. Album was produced by Elan Mahler and JC Marisseau, titled “Things I Used to Do”. I recorded in New Orleans at Grammy winning Esplanade Studio. Too bad my album did not get a Grammy, ha ha. Anyway, I performed classic works by Lightning’ Hopkins (my third cousin on my mother’ side), John Lee Hooker (a friend), Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.The following are songs on the LP:

“Hobo Man”, “Smokestack Lighting”, “Three O’Clock Blues”, “Cat Squirrel”, “Up Above My Head”, “The Things I Use to Do”, “I Got my Eyes on You”, “Honey Bee”, “Mojo Hand”.

Songs that connect with my blues soul and my figurers on my guitar. My farther, Jessie James Martin (named after the outlaw by a plantation owner) use to play a couple of these on our front porch in Mississippi when the sun was setting over the cotton fields.

KB: What are you currently up to?

Well, looking forward to my 85th birthday party in July. Crescent City BBQ Festival this summer. I understand that the release of the new Spinal Tap 2 will be around September. This is a movie I appear in towards the end, playing the blues in the French Quarter, where Rob Reiner shot most of the flick. I perform twice a week on Fridays at the DBA Music Club on Frenchmen Street, and once a week at my home base, BJ’s Lounge, on Burgundy St. It’s the Drinking, Thinking and Stinking Social Club of the Bywater District in New Orleans. Closes thing to my old juke joint I can get. It’s where the locals hangout.

My music is available on Amazon, The Louisiana Music Factory website or as digital download on ORCD website. Would be nice if your readers could try to “Walk With Da King and Dance With Da King”!

Check out LFK’s website: HERE

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