I'll Play the Blues for You - Albert King | The Midnight Special

[@mrstanbmw]

He said excuse me and then tore the house down with some of the nastiest guitar riffs you ever want to hear

[@michaelyolch79]

Albert Collins does the same on "If Trouble Was Money." I've always loved that. HA!

[@mrstanbmw]

yes sir I know about that too

[@DjangoThunders]

Well said!

[@kohlertfiftyseven2956]

Not to take anything away from Albert Collins but Albert King did it upside down....blows my mind...

[@johnny_boi77]

I think the reason he said excuse me, is because he had his volume down on the guitar, because from what I see, he raises it to max. When you lower the volume on your guitar via nobs, the distorted sound is way less intense.. I think that's the actual reason he said that, no?

[@makinbiscuits]

Albert King was a giant among men. His hands alone make that guitar look like a kids toy.

[@johnnyfleming522]

And he is playing it upside down and the big strings are on the bottom!!!!!😂🎉🎉🎉

[@KingEdwardMMVIII]

B.B. King too. The hands rule that guitar.

[@martinabsolom2231]

Looks like he was a giant amongst men in the pants department too

[@paulherbert5548]

Beautiful voice too. One of my favorite blues singers.

[@harolddottin10]

I thought the same thing too wow! but big as he was illness took him out

[@HellOnWheel]

Loved the "excuse me" before shredding an epic blues solo. 😂

[@michaelyolch79]

Albert Collins does the same on "If Trouble Was Money." I've always loved that. HA!

[@losingsleeep]

He he, yeah I love that too. Can't be more innovative and classy at the same time! It's in the original mix too.

[@Brazileiro-]

Omg yes!!!

[@MrJdubbya36]

You might be cool but you will NEVER be as cool as Albert playing "I'll Play The Blues For You" in a pink polyester leisure suit with a polka dot shirt collar folded on the outside. What a talent!!!

[@mathtrixmusiclix4248]

And an upside down Flying V!!!!

[@russelmurray9268]

Awesome outfit. Killer licks.

[@MARKIEBANUNCE]

And your guitar playing is cooler than your suit....

[@russelmurray9268]

@@MARKIEBANUNCE they're both super

[@rv6205]

that suit is so cool , all you need to do is walk out on stage with it, hit 5 notes ...and wham..instant star !!!!!!

[@zydeco2378]

My absolute favorite blues man, the guitar tone and that velvet and deep voice, a master ! Luckily I had the chance to see him live, Unforgettable !

[@bluesrocker6l6gc8]

Another pleasant Midnight Special surprise, first Muddy, and now Albert! Never knew they were on there until now!

[@renaissanceman165]

That was what made the "Midnight Special" so Special (Pun intended)! Everybody who was anybody appeared on that show, like many other Iconic, historic musical programs of the past. It was a wonderful, magical time. It was like watching New Years Eve TV specials, but every week. Hey, that's pretty Good! Great analogy! Check it Out! Ciao!!!

[@BIZARBIES]

So good. SRV wouldn't have licks without this man.

[@daktarioskarvannederhosen2568]

u pls view srv and albert together in hamilton up close and personal early 80s.

[@daktarioskarvannederhosen2568]

Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan recorded live for television on December 6, 1983, at CHCH-TV studios in Hamilton The Canada when Vaughan was 29 and King was 60.

[@BIZARBIES]

@@daktarioskarvannederhosen2568 seen it 100 times my guy.

[@daktarioskarvannederhosen2568]

@@BIZARBIES are you the canada?

[@BIZARBIES]

@@daktarioskarvannederhosen2568 nope

[@DiamondCourt]

My brother played in his band. And one day they were playing near my tiny hometown in Texas and my brother brought him and the entire band over to our house. My mom made gumbo and he sat and ate and watched TV. All our neighbors were peeking through our windows trying to get a glimpse of him. I’ll never forget it. He was one in a million.

[@Dan0948]

I got to see Albert King a couple times and he performed this song

[@eileencastillo6323]

So lucky.

[@curtisphilumalee1447]

Beautiful…..simplicity at its finest. But that Gibson Flying Vee 👀.

[@gregoryduncan3067]

He played very clean.

[@AnthonyStJames]

But with nice sustain.

[@RawKnee1111]

as well as playing a guitar strung for right hand players.

[@michaelr.4878]

​@RawKnee1111 - Yeah..I don't understand how he pulled off a lot of those licks strug like that. He was always bending downward. I'm a leftlhanded player too..but I have lefthanded guitars...strung like lefthanded guitars. hehe. When I was a little kid, I had a righthanded guitar, but I strung it and set it up like a lefthanded gutiar. Some of these guys like King and Eric Gales just play righthanded guitar..strung like righthanded guitars. It is so odd to me. As weird as it is, it would be nice to be able to try other ppl's guitars. hehe. Being a lefty absoultely sucks. I can't try other dude's guitars..I can't try thigns at guitar stores...etc. When buying a guitar, it always has to be ordered and it is a huge gamble on if you like it or not. In fact, I paid about 4K to have a guitar made for me..and after waiting 2 years, I got it..and I hate it. But who am I going to sell it to? haha. The lefty market is small.

[@mrJimCharles]

Wait for it, he's gonna crank it up!!

[@michaelwalston2438]

He played a solid state amp, the Acoustic Control 360.

[@mcafeebi]

3:23 "scuse me" No need to apologize, sir. 🙂

[@jimiray1969.]

After that shitty solo an apology was more than necessary😂

[@riggamarsh]

@@jimiray1969.least obvious ragebait

[@petedazer3381]

Albert could bend a note from one zip code to another!

[@jimiray1969.]

And totally suck at it😂

[@KittyGrizGriz]

That’s some smooth blues playing, what a voice and 🎸, thank you Albert King…that’s right hang in there and be tough, whatever brings us down, we’ll still “be around”.

[@philipsutton2316]

This about the most incongruous thing I've ever seen - a gigantic black dude in a pink polyester suit, playing an upside down guitar and sounding like a rock legend!

[@mrJimCharles]

The reason why he's "sounding like a rock legend" is because those rock guys were/are all trying to play like him! Close your eyes and listen again

[@Bob62798]

And an upside down FLYING V no less. In 1973!! He may not have liked it This guy accidentally created the rockstar in his own image!

[@theeoddments960]

Sounding like one huh?

[@mrJimCharles]

This is one of the best videos of him playing that was ever made, thanks for this upload!!!

[@RobHollanderMusic]

I love Albert! Have seen him perform many times and got to meet him and shake his hand. He was very gracious to this young kid at the time who was just starting to play guitar. Upside-down lefties rule!

[@brotherbob3569]

I allso shook his hand in Memphis right before he went on stage at a free concert around 81. Huge dude with huge hands. The essence of cool.

[@bluesman2001]

@Genious. among other things (i.e talent), he used light strings and an alternate tuning

[@lonesometomshi763]

he is not playing blues, he is the BLUES.

[@Buffrt66]

I saw him in 1982 at Fitzgerald's on White Oak Street in Houston TX. When I noticed he was playing a right hand guitar left handed with a right handed string setup, I was floored. I couldn't stop watching his hands play, backwards!! I had been a guitar player at that time too.

[@BIZARBIES]

It is a trip! Eric Gales plays like that as well, and he's a monster player.

[@williamflinchum-qo6ch]

I met Albert and his girlfriend at a local Laundromat after his show. We were headed home, and I saw his tour bus in the parking lot, me and my friend Mathew went in and talked to him for a few minutes.Some how we got on the subject of drugs, and he said he would fire anybody in his band that used drugs. And he said to me you know why, then he told me Jimi Hendrix gave him a joint one time laced with something, and he said .and man I got so high and I was sweating, and I put ice between my legs and under my arms. And he said he would never do any drugs again. I met him in Winston-Salem NC 1980! Cool story?

[@Aminharp1]

Very cool and very wise from the bulldozer Drugs would gave ruined his career Thx for narrating

[@chrisgraves4561]

@@bernardlauvray8703 J'ai rencontré Albert et sa petite amie dans une laverie automatique locale après son concert. Nous rentrions chez nous et j'ai vu son bus de tournée sur le parking. Mon ami Mathew et moi sommes entrés et lui avons parlé pendant quelques minutes. Nous avons abordé le sujet de la drogue et il a dit qu'il virerait quiconque de son groupe se droguerait. Et il m'a dit "tu sais pourquoi", puis il m'a dit que Jimi Hendrix lui avait donné un joint une fois avec quelque chose de mélangé, et il a dit "et mec, j'étais tellement défoncé et je transpirais, alors j'ai mis de la glace entre mes jambes et sous mes bras". Et il a dit qu'il ne prendrait plus jamais de drogue. Je l'ai rencontré à Winston-Salem en Caroline du Nord en 1980 ! Une histoire cool ?

[@FernandoBlanco-t4l]

But I thought he didin't like Hendrix at all

[@steventaylorson5253]

​@@FernandoBlanco-t4l maybe that joint was the reason he didn't like Hendrix 😂!

[@brianbard3410]

I am sure jimi did not want to hurt or insult Albert inany shape or form , he just wanted Albert to dig the high that jimi figured he was getting, in no way was it nefarious

[@troyjones2358]

Baddest solo ever played while wearing a pink polyester suit.

[@danielsweet858]

Think he was the only man who could pull that off!

[@SapphireSmith-b4s]

Facts

[@gfgranja]

@@danielsweet858Stevie too, he dressed like a gay pirate

[@howardgott4946]

And what’s wrong with polyester!

[@friendofbeaver6636]

He's known as the "Velvet Bulldozer!" A man who can sing and play an up-side-down guitar like that, can wear whatever he wants on TV.

[@TheNextGoogification]

Amazing how many people have NEVER heard of Albert King

[@DjangoThunders]

But they have heard his licks from Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, SRV, Jeff Beck and just about everyone else!

[@bsmarwa1712]

i'm from algerian i heard Albert King, stevie ray vaughan. B.B king. and other when i was sixteen years old

[@briangriffin5524]

On another website a guy was defending Kiss. I called them trash and he was upset.😄

[@elainemeyer5062]

Al’s considered as being one of the ‘Three King’s of the Blues’, along with B. B., and Freddie King. I guess some people just don’t like this type/genre of music in general. Too bad - they’re missing out on something 👍 imo!

[@jeffreycollier1059]

Who you been hanging with? (Just kidding, at least 'you' know!). 😊

[@lucalone]

Great live performance ! And what a beautiful pink suit !

[@oscarpolo6310]

Grandioso Albert King❤. Thanks for sharing.

[@NYCHFAN]

Oh, hell yeah! ❤🎶🎶

[@DjangoThunders]

Best comment, sums it up!

[@SuperTonybo]

IF IT WASN'T FOR ALBERT AND BB

[@fineartist7710]

I am white, and you are dam right!!!!!

[@SandorVitez]

I've been grateful since my childhood with 60's Soul, until rap and hip-hop, I prefer raw Blues which was the foundation yet us Whites cannot emulate what is within a soul of a Black man, what made a lot of their music resonate with my soul is the expression of hope in the midst of adversity

[@andrewthomason3857]

1:22 There it is lurking in the background, that Acoustic amp with the big high frequency horn in the speaker cabinet. He played through this rig every time I saw him. It’s almost impossible to describe to anyone who goes to shows nowadays how loud Albert played on stage. It was glorious. B.B. was great, Freddie was great, but Albert was the King of the Kings in my book. Thank you, The Midnight Special, for posting this.

[@megatedassaultituary6783]

Yeah man some of the timing of his playing really hits the spot

[@thomasscott1570]

special underrated talent srv loved him

[@mossstephen1066]

​@@thomasscott1570 don't worry the srv fanboys can tell you that stevie invented all those riffs, everyone aspired to be stevie.

[@DidYouReadEULA]

Truth.

[@kevin6667]

Blues in Pink! 🎸

[@henryclay8462]

BB King is the Sweet, and Albert King is the Sour. Together they have the entire range of the Blues covered. Eric, Stevie, and everyone else learned from these giants. May both Kings rest in peace!

[@jamesnabower6751]

Don't forget Freddy

[@depretorevincenzo6617]

The Godfather of the blues, the Velvet Bulldozer the one and only Albert King. ❤️

[@avrahambentzvi]

Probably best blues guitarist ever.

[@jimiray1969.]

Put the crack pipe and junk needle down. Albert King blows

[@SteveHorowski]

Only a real man can wear pink. Albert is one of the great Blues men

[@margieealey7074]

A Handsome big man, love that kind of a man

[@中根正之]

KING of KING

[@John-p9j8o]

This man is an American Treasure. Play it Albert. :)

[@jimiray1969.]

American failure more like

[@jonncockrell3606]

The Midnight was Special back in the 70s!

[@ixoye56]

Everything was special in the 70's 👍

[@hooligan_56labelle22]

Blues is the best and it's real

[@alexjohnson4778]

King of the Kings, maaaaaaaaaan.

[@mesaeddie]

Saw him in 72 in a small club in San Diego less than 20 feet away from him. Such an impressive man . One of my best memories from my Navy days.

[@MrJdubbya36]

Very jealous!!

[@jacknavajo4905]

Takes me to another world

[@kelvintorrence5994]

he s a great blues man fron anothger navy veteran tyo you thanks 4 your service 2

[@Test-t4p]

Albert King was a great example of the blues! Certainly better than the hip-hop and rap-crap of today!

[@cowboy-o3m]

albert king,,,,nuff said

[@unique74muzik]

Love him still..one of the forefathers..still trip on his issue with Hendrix..

[@johnzuggster375]

This man was a true gift, a part of God's creation!

[@northernlight2598]

Yeah, when the word God comes up, that's when things go south. I'll stick with the blues , thank ya kindly!

[@moska1674]

It's not just hands and voice, every cell in his body is playing this song. Woah

[@chocodiledundee1]

There’s is ONLY 1 King…. ALBERT KING !

[@nunyabuziness8421]

Excuse me...🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@777guarden]

We all dressed like that in the 70’s!

[@Shayler78]

Music has no colour - it's from the spirit, which is beyond creed or colour.

[@daveartwood]

The Pink Velvet Bulldozer!

[@mick1967]

The master of the Flying V. What a giant!! The guitar looks so tiny in his big hands but he plays it with so much sensitivity. No wonder that he influenced so many guitar heroes like Hendrix, SRV, Clapton or Gary Moore.

[@elainemeyer5062]

ALL of whom are 👏 Blues 🎸 🎤 ist’s imo. I’m 70ish now and have always 💟’d ALL genres of music, esp Blues!

[@bluesboy25000]

Happy 101st birthday to the Velvet Bulldozer, the King of the Blues. Albert King. Mike Bloomfield said Albert King could "take four notes and write a volume." His voice was suave as hell and cut his stinging guitar tone. He was truly the whole package. An inspiration to Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Gary Moore and so many others.

[@rpdugoni]

Too cool! Glad I got to see the KING brothers in the 70's: BB, Freddie and Albert. :-) (yes, I know they are not related)

[@caniican]

In 1987 or so my buddy and me went to see King Albert @ the Lonestar Cafe NYC...less than 50 people in the afternoon.Glor y be...an intmate trip to heaven. On break Albert smoked a pipe..sat in a comfy chair and showed love for us showing love to him. He signed my Album cover... Live Wire Blues Power.. "Albert King Loves you" ..I cherish him on this earth...all blues players . It is sitting next to me ...most valuable possession🎸👍😁

[@greatesttoysevermade3693]

I own that album as well, one of my favorite albums and album covers.

[@handsolo1546]

That Solo. Wow, so good. His tone was something unique.

[@samueljohnson6468]

I say legend. My kid says you can't be a legend if everyone don't know who you are. Sorry a legend is some one every one might not know but the people who know you, know you well. Not a better musician to follow. Memphis TN Legend, we love you RIL. That guitar is like watching the steam come off Chelsea Ave on a hot rainy day

[@Calloway423]

He’s one of the Three Kings. Albert, Freddie and BB. Blues guitar OG. Most certainly a legend

[@ErickHoward-qu7pe]

Great entertainer

[@mikeohagan2206]

he is playing the guitar upside down. man. the velvet bulldozer could play.

[@Akumalive]

Thank You America for the gift of the blues

[@GerardFrenchy59]

Another great blues master! He inspired so many guitarists! Long live the blues 👍🎶🇫🇷

[@Martiniization]

The most mellow, smooth, and satisfying version of Albert King performing this rightfully famous song of his.

[@bernardmeyre]

This version is great but i think i like the version in Wattstax even more...

[@christophermitchum6829]

Don't forget Freddie 🎵🎶💯😎✔️

[@heyjarrod]

Never seen Freddie in a pink polyester suit, polkadot shirt, and collar folded out! But I bet he has something very similar.

[@ogulcanyolcu8714]

Built like a tank, got the looks, got the drip, plays like a king.

[@sinclairmarcus]

Albert King =respect

[@danerickson1632]

BB King and this man were awesome blues men miss them 😢

[@MoonPieCurtis662]

I saw them onstage together in Greenville, MS.

[@RichardBinder-dx7fk]

Gary Moore was also a big fan of Albert along with SRV. Their playing really shows Albert's influence.

[@dariodiiasio6786]

The list Is longer i bet, and you forgot Hendrix!

[@radbrothersrc]

Albert King of the Blues 🎸👑

[@Yeahthatsright717]

This man influenced Stevie Ray Vaughan immensely. ❤🎶

[@stevetrivago]

Told Stevie he’s good but he’s gonna get gooder … < something like that 😊

[@therealbarnekkid]

There he is with his million dollar guitar.

[@STVG71]

Absolute legend! Most left handed players will string their guitars low to high (top to bottom strings) but Albert kept it like it was a right handed guitar so the strings were high to low. Amazing!

[@jeremychatelain1878]

That fella could pluck the paint off a guitar 🤘.

[@VLVanDerMerwe]

Jesus.. I just can’t get enough of that last solo. His guitar tone is immense!!

[@umami0247]

I didn’t realize he was a plucker and didn’t use a pick. One of the greatest players period.

[@b.rodclark334]

As he said in 1968 at the Filmore West: 'This is BLUES POWER!' Happy posthumous birthday Mr. King!

[@lazlomattachine8334]

That suit with the Flying V- pure class and razor sharp! And the tone of his playing is just face-melting- a thing of beauty.

[@ArnoldWieghat]

I saw ALBERT KING open for ERIC Clapton in the Same Houston COLISEUM i was 18 i didn't think ERIC was gonna make it but he did. They called ALBERT out 3 times

[@templeofeternaljams9039]

Dude was pulling riffs out of the inner reaches of the blues cosmos, pure magic

[@leebowens2631]

The late so so GREAT Albert King my all time favorite Bluesman !!!

[@NitroModelsAndComics]

Best use of a late 50's Flying V ever. Ferocious tone and the voice of an angel.

[@gl3605]

The Midnight Special absolutely ruled the art of recording live audio. Whoever was doing it was the best. And speaking of the best, Albert King was it.

[@liamgallagher8795]

After that "excuse me" it's a legend.

[@robertoluiz8094]

The Blues is Pink!

[@emmaharper2115]

I'm missing him so much. Will always remember him. Luv ya....

[@kattyeedwards8212]

Met Albert years ago. While I was travelling with Bobby Bland . Albert had a great sense of humor

[@richuncle9689]

I wonder if Elvis was a fan of Albert.. What an incredible solo what a song what a legend 😮‍💨

[@Tododuro17]

Just got in to his music at 29, isk how I’ve gone this long without hearing this but at least I have the rest of my life to enjoy it

[@elwalker9034]

My favorite King. ( Maybe my fav, suit too) "Where do you live? No, no disregard that."- Definitely my favorite pickup line 😜

[@scotdonham1480]

The greatest pre-SRV !!! ALL the kings were great !! Buddy Guy, all great blues.!! Without these guys ,SRV who honors these men for influencing him.Still great listening music !! Never gets old or dies !!! RIP TO ALL YALL !!!

[@dwighttower5578]

Love you baby so much baby 💋

[@angelromero9870]

It’s November 2024 always catch myself going back to this fire jam

[@VonBluesman]

One of the greatest. 🎸😎✌️

[@VALINOR24]

Best blues guitarist of all time.

[@lovelovelovemusic1177]

Loving Albert King his Blues Forever LOVE Never Stops Loving LOVE🌏

[@jeffreyconyers-z3r]

Doesn't get the recognition he should.

[@robertwilken8745]

He gets the recognition in the right circles.

[@jeffreyconyers-z3r]

@@robertwilken8745 Never! Not mention more like he should Born Under A Bad Sign the man recorded more songs than one a come along guitarist hear later.

[@robertwilken8745]

@@jeffreyconyers-z3r whatever.

[@robertwilken8745]

@@jeffreyconyers-z3r could you repeat that in English.

[@jeffreyconyers-z3r]

@@robertwilken8745 Clown, understand the saying. Oh, it went about your limited intelligence. BB and Albert aka both Kings couldn't sing and play at the same time.

[@tidepoolbay]

What A Big Influence on my Life! Peace & Love! WooF!!🐶🐶

[@DjangoThunders]

and that is why Albert King is my favorite blues guitarist

[@anunnaki7075]

Mr. Albert King’s rizz is incomparable 🙌🏻#bluespower

[@archstanton3763]

Alberts suit deserved an award, throw in his Flying Ver and we an absolute master class in style and delivery. Fantastic !

[@poempadgett4664]

🎸Awesome❤️‍🔥

[@wolfgangkaiser8957]

flying V und super anzug,- ein wahrer KING

[@r.seymore8557]

Sends chills thru my spine listening to that solo

[@lisaweaver986]

Albert King was a genuine artist for certain ❤, thank you dear inspiration,

[@11bravo18]

One of the best and most influential guitarist and best vocalist. Ask Eric.