Earl King(1934-2003)
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Musician / composer / producer Earl King was born Solomon Johnson in
New Orleans, LA, in 1934. He is considered by many to be one of the
main architects of the New Orleans R&B movement in the 1950s and 1960s,
along with such contemporaries as
Allen Toussaint,
Fats Domino and
John E. Glassco (aka "Dr. John"). Best
known as a composer, his songs have been recorded by such legends as
Aaron Neville,
Jimi Hendrix and
Stevie Ray Vaughan, among many
others. In addition to composing, he was an accomplished guitarist and
one of the top sidemen and studio musicians in the New Orleans
recording scene, and even recorded some best-selling records on his
own.
King began his career with the legendary Guitar Slim, who was a great influence on him. He left Slim to play with Huey P. Smith (aka Huey "Piano" Smith). He recorded for some small but well-known labels, such as Savoy, Ace and Specialty, and had respectable hits with all of them. In 1960 he signed with the major Imperial Records label, and later did some session work with the iconic Motown Records, but he spent most of the 1970s and 1980s in the recording studio either producing other artists' records or working as a sideman.
King began his career with the legendary Guitar Slim, who was a great influence on him. He left Slim to play with Huey P. Smith (aka Huey "Piano" Smith). He recorded for some small but well-known labels, such as Savoy, Ace and Specialty, and had respectable hits with all of them. In 1960 he signed with the major Imperial Records label, and later did some session work with the iconic Motown Records, but he spent most of the 1970s and 1980s in the recording studio either producing other artists' records or working as a sideman.
