Culled from several record labels, this excellent retrospective starts with the Texas Cannonball’s landmark 1960 session that produced the classic bar band instrumental anthem “Hide Away” along with the slow blues “Have You Ever Loved a Woman?”. In spanning 15 years, this collection shows the gradual evolution of King’s powerhouse style from straightforward roadhouse blues and shuffles to stinging electrified blues-rock. The early ’70s tracks here, from Getting Ready, Texas Cannonball and Burglar, unite Freddie with keyboardist-producer Leon Russell and bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn, on loan from Booker T & The MGs. The last track is a funky jam from 1974 on Muddy Waters’ “Sugar Sweet,” with Eric Clapton playing rhythm guitar behind his guitar idol.
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