Solomon King: New American Bluesman
With his non-compromising approach to his music, Solomon King first garnered international attention in 2008 as "Jack Me Up" and "Frankie & Johnny," both from "Under the Sun" CD, were featured on two episodes of HBO's Golden Globe winning True Blood series. 2009 brought a Grammy entrant nomination as "Under the Sun" was considered for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Throughout 2010 the music of Solomon King was played on broadcast radio stations across the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe and even South America.
Now 2011 marks the release of "Medicine" the second CD by Solomon King. But don't be expecting "Under the Sun" part two. King has never been content to follow anyone: not even himself. "Medicine" strips down the Blues back to its naked essence: guitar, vocals and drums. A daring musical tightrope walk stretching between the Past and the Future with no safety net in sight.
Solomon King was born in the big automobile dream factory of Detroit. But the promise of fulfilling that big dream quickly faded into the assembly line Blues. Mind-numbing monotonous hours, and a daily grind of soul-destroying work, was eased only by lots of booze, broads, and the never-ending Friday night cocaine Blues. Reflecting on those times, he says, "There was a lot of hurting going on. It's too hazy to remember. But one thing was constant. I always had the Blues. Well, truth is the Blues always had me. We were joined at the hip."
Then the layoffs hit. The great auto dream factories began closing down. Out of work, Solomon tossed his trusty acoustic guitar into the trunk of a Ford Maverick and headed west. He managed to dodge some occasional scrapes with the law along the way and when he ran out of road found himself in L.A. Different town, different dream, same factory—The Hollywood Creedo of "Hurry up and wait". The endless hours of unemployment and nothing to do drove Solomon to playing his guitar and "writing songs about what I knew best—the Blues."
Solomon continued honing his craft jamming with Blues musicians and hanging out in their circles. Then one day an electric guitar uttered a sweet whisper promising to take his music to new heights. The plea was so urgent that he abandoned his acoustic guitar for a '57 Goldtop. Then he took one more step—maybe more of a leap of faith than a step. To honor the royal lineage of the great electric Blues guitarists like B. B. King, Freddie King and Albert King, another King was added to the list, Solomon King: New American Bluesman.
To hear Solomon King is to follow the road map of great American Music. It's a journey that starts with a piece of broken concrete torn from the wreckage of the Motor City. Up ahead a new stretch of the music super highway is named Solomon King. There are no speed limits and this road goes to places you have never been to before.
Read more...