Freddie King is one of the blues guitar greats that inspired generations of guitarists with his music. While there is no relation to Albert King or B.B. King, he is definitely considered to be a “King of the blues.”
So I was going to do my own lesson for you on one of Freddie’s famous turnarounds, but then I found this one and decided there was no reason to fix what ain’t broke 🙂
This lesson comes to us from Guitar World and features Mr. Keith Wyatt from Musician’s Institute…
My contribution is that I transcribed the lick for you below the lesson so you don’t have to figure it out for yourself 🙂
And for your listening pleasure… a couple of my favorite tunes from Freddie:
Freddie was a big influence on me and his song “Me And My Guitar” is still my closer for pretty much every show I do.
108 replies to "Playing The Blues Like Freddie King"
Gotta love Freddie man!
9/11/18
Great session Griff
I was really shocked to see you post a video by Kieth Wyatt. Just let me say I am really intending to purchase your Blues course once I have saved up enough for it. But years ago I purchased a DVD put out by Kieth and had just recently gotten back into it after a long absence from learning more about the Blues. The DVD is from 1995 and Mr. Wyatt has aged very well. LOL As well as have I, I hope. Really appreciated the Freddie King videos – he has one the most distinctive playing styles as well as an instantly recognizable vocal style. Last but not least, your bands’s video clip was wonderful – your playing was spot on and I loved the Superstition break in the middle – pure fun! You have a great singing voice that does justice to the Blues.
Hey Griff,
I had to comment on this.
Loved it!
Larry @ mostly lurking
Awesome guitar playing. I am so glad that you decided to fall in love with blues and not become a shredder! Just bought your ‘BGU’ course now it’s time to get serious.
Keep Playing those Blues!!!!!!! you’re the man
Is a great time happening ? Need a harp player???
Your great playing will be welcome in Tasmania at Hobart Blues Clubs , Griff. Tops.
You are right up there with the best of them! Hard to believe that voice comes from you. You are da man! Thanks from South Jersey
seen your clips for years got a few books and c/d how to play of yours, even now do the odd local, just head brain tumur opp every thing ok, nice to see you in concert for a change, exellant realy enjoyed love some more, i play ukulele for the old folksregards jeff hope to hear from you lovely guy.
All I can say is “thumbs up”
In the live concert of Griff’s band, what is the slow blues song in F#m that starts near the 40 minute mark?
Never mind, found it: https://www.amazon.com/When-Evil-Comes/dp/B000QLV4N0
I would love to Griffin and his band is it ever coming to Knoxville Tennessee I would be there.
Great guitar, horns,key board, drums, bass, the whole band it’s tight, great blues!
Come to Knoxville Griff!
I just experienced Dave Kos and Friends here in Charlotte, NC. His rendition of Micheal Jackson’s “Earth Song” blew the house down. The recorded version is on youtube. It was the best sax, trombone and trumpet I’ve ever heard.
You are still great, but you should listen to them.
No wonder, with Rick Braun and Richard Elliot, it’s a stellar lineup.
Now that was a real treat….
It is already on the wall and know it by heart…watched the crossroads concert last night and it was great….
Always enjoy the videos you make and so graciously send. I’ve been able to use and learn a great deal. Love this recent post, Freddy King is a favorite of mine and has been for many years. Keith Wyatt is a very good guitarist and teacher, real nice new guitar lesson for me to practice with. Your band is so good, great work on the guitar, the horns are awesome and it’s great to hear you sing. So enjoyed this video, thanks so much for sharing this with us.
Keith’s lesson came at the right time in relation to my current level of progress on the guitar. It illustrates well how chord tones can be used to build a tune, and it shows how important it is to be hitting the right notes in relation to the “current chord” and how much better that makes a tune sound rather than just using the pentatonic scale of the I chord all the way through.
Hey Griff, you should bring the band to Australia, that was great
Holeee Moleee!! What a great band!! More videos.
Hi Griff,
Thanks for sharing the clips of the Great Freddie King. Good gig and a lot of fun too.
Yeah, I love that one. Thanks Griff!
Love my Guitar and he loves his Keyboard
super. loved it. you guys rock. ok, while i love the guitar instruction that you send, i’m really a bass player, and i noticed what your bass man was playing. do you offer any bass instruction on scale patterns, riffs, 12-bar blues lines, etc. i’ve been playing bass for 40 years, mostly older country, rock-a-billy, stuff like that, but limited myself, or been limited to your basic walk lines, rock-a-billy walks with the flatted 7ths, etc. 2/4 stuff… i’d love to know something other than a 1-3-5-3 line, a 1-3-5-6-8-6-5-3-1..or the chromatic walk. needs something cool to play just in case someone ever says “take one, bass player!”. got anything like that?
thanks, karen
Griff this was a great alternative email and much appreciated. You and the band sound great it must be a blast.
I would like you to include some licks from Freddie King Joe Bonamassa Clapton etal that they would play over a 12 bar blues perhaps in a new course? This would allow all of the aspiring blues players like me to understand how they turn their ideas into the performance
Thanks
Earle
Very sweet lick. I’m stealing that one . Thank you.
awesome
Good riff and a very good live stage act. The three kings truly are legends
Griff the transcription is wrong can you redo it please?
First time I,ve heard you sing……excellent. Almost as great as your guitar mastery. Love your band. Want to see more of this stuff in your daily/weekly lesson videos.
You definitely are a great talent.
Fabulous
Gee wiz Griff, you and the band can crank it up. There was a moment there when, if I closed my eyes, I could hear one of the kings of the blues. Thank you for reviving my interest in Freddie. He was indeed one of the giants of the blues. When you upped a gear and started into Superstition, wonderful. The horn section of your band is truly great too. Always a pleasure to catch some of your guitar work at the chalk face, as it were. Keep up the great work.
Awesome band! Where in this galaxy did the bass player come from?
If it’s not giving away trade secrets, I’d like to ask what pedal was that you stepped on just before the solo, and what settings? Fantastic solo, Griff.
Man you killed it in that live performance.
Loved the video of your band. Great playing tight.Every blues band should have a horn section like that.
Thanks Griff
Awesome peace of music Griff. Have almost all your materials. Would love to get that solo tabbed and perhaps a lesson on how to develop that speed….
Thnx
Hans
Finally got to see ya play..GREAT and I hope to keep up with you soon…….
Griff
WOW! You play great as always but doing a Freddie King song is not so easy. I play Hideaway pretty well but I’ve been stuck on San Josay for years. This is also the first time I listened to you sing a whole song. You have great voice too ! I do everyone a favor and just don’t sing.
Thanks for a great performance. When the crowd yells for more it’s special.
Best
Bob
I saw him in a small club in the Santa Cruz mountains. Let’s just say he rocked the house! All the greats came to the Bay Area.
I can’t even imagine how good Griff would sound, if he only had tattoos or, at least, some yellow satin pantaloons.
Thanks Anthony for the tip, the tab is not correct and it was driving me crazy trying to slow the video to figure it out. Griff WAS having a bad day! Griff how bout another try at this with you doing the lesson, its a great lick!
Saw this on YouTube and started to play at myself to great fun with him lick just to play with different keys
Nice talent he have god bless him for that all time.
Very good lead playing by Griff , l just wish he did not try so hard to sound like a black blues singer , just sing regular Griff, be yourself like you would sing to your kids at home. His lead solo was really very good ,and l liked the fuller sound of the Les Paul also , rock on Griff !
Griff – nice piece of work there. Thoroughly enjoyed your rendition of Stevie Wonders’ “Superstition” !!!
useful and enjoyable as usual.
ta fella.
Nice work Griff!!! When you capture the feel of the song, you can own it. The whole band did a great job. Great Hammond thru Leslie keys sound.
Wonderful lesson,Griff. Thanks so much. Great riff and great videos, including yours. Cheers!
good lesson , thanks. i realy like your version of the song.
Hi! Griff
A truly good lesson from Keith, and I reAly enjoyed the music of Freddy King.
I have been a fan of the 3 Kings for many years. I have been following your video lessons for many years and my playing has improved a lot.
I really love your rendition of Me and my Guitar, you are a fantastic player and teacher. Thank you very much for all the great lessons you provide on your videos.
Wish you all the best from Montreal, Canada.
Lawrence
Great videos Griff, best wishes for you son’s recovery.
Griff: your singing is just amazing! I didn’t even know you coud sing as well! Is it me or do you hardly mention this??? Are there other videos of your band? We want more!
All my best wishes for your son speedy recovery! I’m sure he’s being carefully taken care of !
A great few vids from Freddie King…and a professional gig from your tight band too. Your blues lead skills are amazing and the lessons you give us are superb. I just wish that my fingers were more nimble so that I could play faster. At my age I am struggling with some of the fingering.
I hope your son gets well soon. Yes it is frightening when kids have accidents and no other interest takes priority over family members. Cheers
Thanks Griff, brilliant set of inspirational videos and great video of you and your band. What a great finishing number played and sung with feeling. Very best wishes for your son, wish him a speedy recovery.
Thanks Griff, brilliant set of inspirational videos and great video of you and your band. What a great finishing number played and sung with feeling. Very best wishes for your son, wish him a speedy recovery.
Thanks Griff, brilliant set of inspirational videos and great video of you and your band. What a great finishing number played and sung with feeling. Very best wishes for your son, wish him a speedy recovery.
Really enjoyed the Freddie King clips. I knew you could play but DAM! I was really blown away by your singing and your very tight band. You have a big voice, reminded me of the big man Buddy Whittington. Do you have any dvds of your band available? Through your courses my playing is really improving and much more fun. Yeah I would sure like to see more of my blues instructor playing the blues.
I know you mentioned taking voice lessons but I was just wondering if you had any voice secrets for singing the blues. Speedy recovery to your son. Thanks for doing what you do.
The Rev is right on with everything. Listen to him Griff. We all will benefit greatly!
Old School & Still Rockin’
thanks griff
god bless your son,family and u
kinger
Hey Griff,
Best wishes for a speedy recovery for your son. Great stuff from Freddie King but I like you and your Band version much better.
Great Licks.
Thanks
Michael – Sydney Australia.
Griff, I don’t mean to be picky but in the demonstration he does a great slide up and back down in the 3rd measure that you missed. I took me awhile to figure it out because the TAB didn’t sound the same as the recording at that point. After the two open e’s on the first string, you MUST play the 3rd fret 2nd string with your RING finger so that you can SLIDE to the 4th fret third string with the MIDDLE finger. Then hit the 3-5 on the 2nd string so as to be able to slide BACK to the 2nd fret 3rd string. Look at it. It slides UP THEN BACK. It sounds COOL.
Anthony / Griff – I agree with A and would add that I like another slight variation t the sme place, where the open top string is substituted for 5th fret on 2nd string… and can let the 3 notes (4th fret on 3rd, 3rd fret on 2nd and the open top string) all ring out together before the slide back down. Bit trickier to kill all three before the slide, but sounds cool to my ears!
This was awesome Griff. Freddie King was cool enough but your band brought back memories of Chicago and others from the 60s/70s. Great band. Thanks.
WOW GRIFF, IKNOW THE FEEELING. MY SON WAS THE NUMBER ONE GOALIE IN THE SOUTH BAY. HE GOT HEAD BUMBED AND IT KNOCKED HIM OFF HIS FEET. WE TOOK HIM OUT AND HE DID NOT KNOW WHERE HE WAS. THEN HE PASSED OUT. WENT TO THE ER AND HE HAD A BAD CONCUSION. SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME. POOR GUY. KIDS ARE LIKE RUBBER. THEY BOUCE BACK REAL FAST. HOPE HE GETS WELL SOON MY SON IS IN COLLEGE NOW. SO I WORRY ABOUT HIM EVEN MORE. THIS GUY IS NOT AS GOOD OF A TEACHER LIKE YOU. LIKED THAT FREDY KING LICK. I REMBER LISTENING TO HIM BACK IN THE 70’S . ONE OF THE KINGS!! 🙂
I was totally amazed by the amount of music Freddy King gets out of three strings and three frets
Great clips and a really cool turnaround and a super cool performance from the teach really enjoyed that Griff don’t know of anybody caught it but Joe Bonamassa was on the tonight show last night man he tore it up with his Les Paul thanks again Griff ! 🙂
At my age (65) I know I’ll never be a blues great, a rock star or even a completely competent guitarist, but I do love to play and your lessons motivate me to play every day. I LOVE your work onstage–it’s excellent! Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences. Long may you play and richly may you prosper!
Great performance from you and your band, excellent. The preceding Freddie King/Keith Wyatt features were ace.
Thanks again.
That’s the way to top off the night alright! Great!
Griff always amazes me of the cool stuff you send us. But Damn why do the last bars of the solo get explained so fast. My eyes could not keep up no matter how I try. Oh well get it sooner or later. Keep it coming having a great time especially since I put some Dawgtown pickups in my strat. Their awesome! Jim in Milwaukee.
Griff,
Good stuff all way round.
Thanks!
Old School and Still Rockin’
Griff,
SPECIAL NOTE OF “GET WELL TO YOUR SON.” I broke my collarbone in the 3rd grade and it yes it was scary and quite painful!!!
GET WELL SOON YOUNG MAN!
Old School and Still Rockin’
I tried to learn how to play with thumb pick and finger pick. It sounded like nothing but noise. I enjoy listening to Freddie King. Your band isn’t bad either. Do you have CD’s of your band.
I never realized Freddie used a thumb and finger pick. I would be interested in any material on that style.
Pat
Griff, Awesome guitar work! Wish I could transition from comping rythem to solo licks so effortlessly. But, then you are a pro. You have a great voice, especially suited to the blues style. Love the brass section! How cool it will be when you all get together in the studio and make some more backing tracks for us. Not like performing live. However, the best tracks I have are from you and the band.
Ahh, there it is. Griff’s clip took about 30 minutes to load on the iPad. Loved how you trans-ed to Stevie Wonder. Thanks, great way to start the morning.
Griff’s clip does not show-up on my iPad but, the Freddie King clips do and they’re awseome.
I even got a glimpse of God or a conch shell (I couldn’t tell) In the 2nd clip… right behind or beside the drummer.
I always thought he played bare-fingered. I never noticed the fingerpicks before.
You’ve got a good singing voice as well!
Thanks Griff
This was great. Speedy recovery to your little man.
Dw
I have greatly enjoyed being on your email list and the lessons that come with it. Haven’t commented before, but wanted to wish your little one a speedy recovery. I know you are taking good care of him.
Never mind the lick! I want a shirt with a giant collar like Freddie is wearing in the second clip.
Sorry to hear of your sons accident hope he gets well soon the lick was a cool one big fan of Freddie
You and the band can sure enough play it would be good to go to one of your gigs
Thanks
maube i already didsay that but thanks again
hey i guess u really read these comments ,u have help inspre me toplayagain after my brother,died we useto play together, thanks,david gilbert.
Griff,
Thanks for the great videos and lesson. Your band sounds great. So from central Maine, have a great day and thanks again
Bob Everett
Good information,,hope your son has a speedy recovery.
Good information,,,,hope your son has speedy recovery
Finally. Freddie king was truly the essence of blue. Fire with feeling. He along with so many other captured those feelings. And so you. I appreciate all your teaching efforts to help all of us cultivate that fire of the blues with feeling. I salute you sir. Keep the blues alive.
As much as I like Freddy King, I really liked your closing number the best of these clips. Hope your boy is back on the field, soon. Regards from central Wisconsin!
Griff,
As always you leave us wanting more and more! I look forward to your emails every morning and can’t wait to listen to them and study them when I get home from work. Thanks for helping us celebrate the great Freddie King’s birthday and for letting us witness you and your band jamming to one of the Three Kings of the Blues!
Like your performance!
Hey Griff,
How about a “Rhythm From The Masters” lesson on the way you play Me and My Guitar? Maybe include a Bass & Drums track (Ok, ask CCH to step in too)???
Mike
Fantastic
Hi griff”
You are fantastic sir you and the music you send us thank you , I enjoyed you singing and the band playing .
Andrew
said this once before you shred . sound a bit like gary moore later
Wow! That was a fantastic little package you put together for us, Griff. Now that’s a lick I can sink my teeth into. The footage of Freddie King is awesome stuff. I especially liked what Mr. Cooper had to say of him. And then that last video! Pretty cool Mr. Hamlin. I learn at a slow rate because I’m not musically inclined. But when I work hard at it, and use tabs, I can entertain myself and hold my own. I want you to know Mr. Hamlin that because of your teaching methods, I have, and continue to become a better guitar player. These short video lessons ,and blogs, keep my interest focused motivate me, because I can understand what you are teaching. Maybe not always at first (major n minor continues to confuse me) but with practice and repetition I finally get it. You have a solid student/fan here Griff. Hope your son is feeling better and back on the field soon. Thanks again.
Pete Zubry.
Motivating ! Thanks Griff ! 🙂
Wow Griff, your band just blew me away! I had no idea you could sing – and sing extraordinarily well! You know what would be awesome? A series of lessons on singing. There are plenty of singing lessons out there but the blues is a very unique style.
Freddie King’s solo in “Help Me Through the Day” from the album “Woman Across the River” is, to my mind, the greatest Minor Blues guitar solo ever recorded.
As with many of his solos, it is *perfectly* sympathetic to his plaintive, emotionally charged singing; the great Blues solos are always indivisibly linked to the vocal.
Structurally, it *seems* so simple – like many of William Blake’s poems. Listen to the perfect pitch of Freddie’s weeping bends, his matchless vibrato and alliterate phrasing, which cry the same sentiment in his vocals. It is truly High Art.
Hi Griff,
Thank you for the Freddie final four video and the tab. The tab needs a correction. The second note in the second to the last bar is an open B and not an open E. Keith Wyatt hits the B string with his pick in the video.
Your the man Griff..the lessons you’ve sent to me over the past year are whats kept me playing and pushing myself to improve. Thanks heaps mate.
How can I download this lick. Been looking for this for a long time.
Thanks, Keith
Griff, awesome Bio! and thanks for the TAB!
@Mike – I put the TAB for that up above. Enjoy 🙂
Griff
Your recent post on Freddie King has done it to me! Now I’m hooked on the Blues and my guitar.
How can I get the tabs for Freddies Final Four? I’ll pay good money for it! Its a bueautiful lick. I’ve got to learn it.Please help.
So good, brilliant man Mr Freddie King..I am liking the riff and the beat Griff I intend getting that lot down for sure. I was just thinking that while watching the rythm with alternate G and A string upstroke picking produces a sound I have heard used in other tunes. Great sound.