Original released on LP Crown CLP 5020
(US, June 1957)
Riley "Blues Boy" King's older cousin was Bukka White, an ex-con whose country blues were as raw as they come. King was the exact opposite, a professional singer and refined guitarist whose music was completely modern for the 1950s. Comparing him with White, it's easy to see why his gospel-infused vocals and jazz-inspired guitar playing made him a one man revolution within the blues. This debut LP, collecting his earliest singles, also happens to be one of B.B.'s finest, featuring hits that would continue to be part of his live repertoire sixty years later. Most are "jump blues," which is to say blues numbers accentuated by a driving dance beat and a powerful horn rhythm section. However, the true standout here is King's first hit single, "Three O'clock Blues," where the horns quiet down for a slow-burning number that allows King's soulful vocals and note-bending guitar work to shine. Despite its lasting just three minutes, King turns the Lowell Fulson cover into the album's tour de force, and sets the tone for what will prove to be the most successful career in the long history of the blues. (Kenneth Bridgham in AllMusic)
