Showing posts with label Shirley King. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shirley King. Show all posts

6/12/2020

Blues Review: Shirley King-Blues For A King

Release Date: June 19, 2020
Label: Cleopatra Records, Inc.
Website 

Powerhouse? Check. Musical family lineage? Check. Try as you might, to find a smoother summer sizzler than Blues For A King, you won’t have much luck. Shirley King, the daughter of famous blues legend B.B. King, arranges a collection of 11 feel-good tracks of classic covers and original pieces. Not much is known of Ms. King personally. She was born in 1949 and unfortunately, most of her adult life remains spotty, other than the fact that she was an exotic dancer since 1969. In 1990 she switched over to the blues and has done her father’s legacy well.

Looking at the artwork for this record, it is simple and colorful. Much like the genre it embodies, the album is bold and captivating utilizing color and animation. Blues finds a way to show the same concepts keeping the lyric structure symbol and coloring the singer’s tone beautifully with the emotion of often strife and trouble.

With two albums under her belt, Blues For A King soars into the stratosphere with songs holding mainly a strong, upbeat tone. Select songs such as “Can’t Find My Way Home,” “Gallows Pole,” and “Hoodoo Man Blues” do carry a more serious, darker sound but, not so much so that it completely changes the mood of the entire record for the listener.

“All My Lovin’” and “Feelin’ Alright” starts the album off as  “good morning world, how are you today?” and “sultry meets self-confidence” songs respectively. How can you not turn the volume up when the singer exudes so much love of life. “I Did You Wrong” is far from wrong at all. It acknowledges the pain the singer caused her significant other, feeling nothing but remorse for her part in a failed relationship. She then wants to reach out somehow to attempt to repair the damage in front of her.

We turn the volume back up to 11 when “That’s Alright Mama” comes blaring on. It’s an ode to what comes through every child vs parent situation, regardless of age, in terms of big decision making. One party might be uncomfortable with a decision like moving on or out, while the other party objects to any notion of the idea. “Can’t Find My Way Home” is calling upon those who live with their heads in the clouds or who might feel superior to other people or a group of persons. In this case, the singer is struggling to focus on the journey back to her home to spend more time searching for something greater than her home, not acknowledging a sense of superiority; rather comfort in simply being a wanderer for the time being.

“Johnny Porter” resembles a lot of a similar story-teller song “The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia.” It speaks of a child who is making careless, destructive decisions on the streets. Meanwhile, his mother is worried sick about his well-being. The song is a coming-of-age combined with testing waters theme like no other.

This “Feeling Good” rendition is smokey, intense, and powerful where it often is light, bright and airy. Though, it still manages to keep a positive tone with the obvious lyrics and guitar accompaniment. “Give It All Up” is the honeymoon phase of life. Ready to throw caution to the wind and feel some constant goodness in her life, Shirley King is laying it all down for the one she loves. Then, we arrive at “Gallows Pole.” Another darker song on the record shows how human life can turn into a value for some people, with not a care in the world to rethink their action.

“Hoodoo Man Blues” is a struggle to find out why everything seems to be going topsy turvy in the singer’s world at the moment. She calls out for the Lord but, it seems the message isn’t getting through. Rounding out Blues For A King, a wonderful cover of “At Last,” makes the album shine and feels as though there is peace among the blues.

Key tracks include: “That’s Alright Mama,” “At Last,” and “Gallows Pole.”

Gregg Keniston- MuzikMan.net Staff
June 11, 2020


Tracks:
01. All My Lovin’
02. Feelin’ Alright?
03. I Did You Wrong
04. That’s Alright Mama
05. Can’t Find My Way Home
06. Johnny Porter
07. Feeling Good
08. Give It All Up
09. Gallows Pole
10. Hoodoo Man Blues
11. At Last 

5/12/2020

Blues Royal SHIRLEY KING, Daughter Of B.B. KING, Unveils New Studio Album With A Court Of Special Guests!


Features performances by Joe Louis Walker, Robben Ford, Elvin Bishop, Junior Wells, Pat Travers, Steve Cropper, Martin Barre, Harvey Mandel and others!

Los Angeles, CA - Being the blues-singing daughter of B.B. King has earned Shirley King the title “Daughter of the Blues,” but she is an outstanding singer and performer in her own right and capable of singing any kind of music that comes her way. Just witness her newest full-length album, Blues For A King, which crosses musical genres from blues to rock to soul and back again. Even next to such high wattage guests as Joe Louis Walker, Robben Ford, Junior Wells, Pat Travers & Elvin Bishop, King absolutely shines as she performs spectacular version of the blues classics “Gallows Pole” and “Hoodoo Blues Man” as well as the soul hit “Johnny Porter” (originally by The Temptations) plus two songs by British rock band Traffic, “Can’t Find My Way Home” and “Feelin’ Alright?.” The album closes with a powerful version of Etta James’s unforgettable “At Last,” which signals that, at long last, Shirley King is finally getting the attention and recognition she so richly deserves.

“I’m so thrilled that these great artists lent their amazing talents to my new album. I can’t thank them enough for believing in me. I’m so proud of this album and can’t wait for the world to hear it. I feel it’s my best work yet,” enthuses Shirley. Blues Hall of Fame guitarist Joe Louis Walker, who guests on two tracks on the new album, says, “I’ve had the honor of performing on two B.B. King albums. Now I have the distinct honor and pleasure of playing on his daughter’s album, Shirley King, who is also my dear friend. Keep the thrill goin’ on, Shirley….”

Blues For A King will be available on both CD and vinyl starting June 19 from Cleopatra Blues, a subsidiary of Cleopatra Records, Inc.

To purchase the album: https://orcd.co/shirley-king

Track List:
1. All Of My Lovin' feat. Joe Louis Walker
2. Feelin' Alright feat. Duke Robillard
3. I Did You Wrong feat. Elvin Bishop
4. That's All Right Mama feat. Pat Travers
5. Can't Find My Way Home feat. Martin Barre
6. Johnny Porter feat. Arthur Adams
7. Feeling Good feat. Robben Ford
8. Give It All Up feat. Kirk Fletcher
9. Gallows Pole feat. Harvey Mandel
10. Hoodoo Man Blues feat. Junior Wells & Joe Louis Walker
11. At Last feat. Steve Cropper

BIO
Born and raised in Memphis, Shirley began singing in the church choir at age nine. When she was thirteen, she met another music legend – Etta James. Young Shirley was so impressed by Etta’s performance that she made Etta her musical role model. Ruth Brown and the late Mahalia Jackson also greatly influenced the fledgling singer. Shirley says, “I grew up around the stage watching my dad become famous, but I never imagined I’d become a blues singer too.” Ms. King came late to the blues, first trying it on in 1990. Within six months, she was a regular performer at famed Chicago blues club Kingston Mines. Two years later she saw the release of her first CD, “Jump Through My Keyhole.”

In 1999, Shirley released her highly acclaimed blues album, “Daughter of the Blues,” which featured her soulful, bluesy versions of classics like “Wang Dang Doodle,” “Sweet Home Chicago,” “Every Day I Have the Blues” and, fittingly, “The Thrill is Gone.” Once her father caught her act he lent his full support to Shirley’s efforts at carrying on the blues. She admits that having a legendary father helped open some doors for her, but it was her talent, charisma and high-energy stage presence, along with her big, beautiful singing voice, that put her on the musical map. From traditional blues to gospel to funky R&B to smooth soul, Shirley defies genre and her singing and stage antics never fails to excite her growing number of fans worldwide.

Shirley also believes in giving back. She has worked with kids as an artist-in-residence with the highly acclaimed Urban Gateways Arts in the Schools Program at Chicago Public Schools and continues to expose school children to the history blues has played in American culture. All in all, Shirley King continues to be the quintessential ambassador for the blues - and that’s something that would certainly make her daddy proud.

For more info, visit Shirley’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/shirley.king.790

Press inquiries: 
Glass Onyon PR
Billy James
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com

CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
www.CleopatraRecords.com


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