Freddie King - Getting Ready...

Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio from the original analog master tapes!

"I took a listen to King's original version of his 'Same Old Blues' appearing on his 1971 LP, Getting Ready, re-issued by the always-reliable audiophile quality label, Analogue Productions. Here was Good Sound embodied: the tactile dynamic shadings and amplified heat from King's electric guitar were captured in an airy recording space; his vocals were clear and natural and he joined the chorus of background vocalists (and the twinkling of Leon Russell's piano) in a layered, dimensional space." — Nelson Brill, bostonconcertreviews.com, April 15, 2018. Read the mention, included in Brill's review of Marcia Ball In Concert, here.

"...the pure analog sound and straightforward recording technique let the music speak for itself...has an immediacy that few contemporary recordings can match, and with the QRP vinyl you'll get so much closer to the sound of the analog master tape." - Steve Guttenberg, The Audiophiliac, August 28, 2011

Freddie King is easily one of the most influential blues guitarists of his or any generation. Any blues enthusiast or guitar aficionado would have him ranked high on their list of all-time greats. He was a guitar hero before there was "Guitar Hero".

Getting Ready... was King's first of three releases for Shelter Records, Leon Russell's Tulsa-based label. In fact, when Russell first formed Shelter, he reportedly did so partly to play out his vision of recording one of his favorites, Freddie King.

Recorded in October 1970 at the TER-MAR Chess Studios in Chicago and released in 1971, Getting Ready... is proof positive that King was the man and that Shelter Records was one cool label. The record includes a cover of Jimmy Rogers' classic "Walking By Myself" and King references Rogers also in the lyrics of another track on the record, "Living On The Highway". Rogers was the first artist to record for Acoustic Sounds' own APO Records label and the first to appear in concert at Acoustic Sounds' Blue Heaven Studios.

 

More APO and Blue Heaven tie-ins to Freddie King include Jimmie Lee Robinson, who while living was the veritable soul of APO and Blue Heaven. When King moved from Texas to Southside Chicago around 1950, he formed his first ever band, The Every Hour Blues Boys, with Robinson.

The backing band for Getting Ready... includes the stud cast of Leon Russell on piano and guitars, Duck Dunn on bass, Don Preston on guitar, Jon Gallie on organ, Chuck Blackwell on drums and Charles Myers on drums.

Getting Ready is among the first titles to be pressed at Acoustic Sounds' Quality Record Pressings.

 

1. Same Old Blues

2. Dust My Broom

3. Worried Life Blues

4. Five Long Years

5. Key to the Highway

6. Going Down

7. Living on the Highway

8. Walking by Myself

9. Tore Down

10. Palace of the King

Customer Reviews (4.86 Stars) 7 person(s) rated this product.

Excellent Vinyl posted on 12/19/2023 5 Stars Reviewer: Mauri The quality of the sound is extremly good. Clear, detailed, quiet background and still full with sound. I buy SACDs that to me sounds ”more” than vinyl but this vinyl sounds excellent to my personal taste. Music on this great blues with Freddies soothing voice that is relaxing to listen to. Long live the king !

BLUES MAGIC! posted on 08/14/2021 5 Stars Excellent sounding mastering, recording and pressing!

A Rare Gem posted on 05/15/2020 5 Stars Reviewer: Troy I’ve had an eye out for this album for almost two years. On the very rare occasions that I did come across a pressing the cost was just too much, $70 and up. Received my very well packaged copy today and it is OUTSTANDING!!! Sound is excellent, physical quality is perfect, and the price was very reasonable for such a hard to find album. This was my first purchase from Acoustic Sounds and I am very impressed.

Quiet vinyl, nice mastering posted on 03/21/2012 5 Stars Excellent quiet vinyl, nice warm mastering, and a rocking album from Freddie. Can't ask for more.

ENOUGH WARMTH TO HEAT YOUR WHOLE HOUSE UP posted on 12/30/2011 4 Stars Reviewer: TAIL DRAGER This record glows with tube like warmth. The mastering that was done is something truly special stand out songs are dust my broom )tore down )living on the highway.Now the down side )this record has alot of crackling between the tracks.I did run it through my spinclean and treated it with gruv glide before first spin.I didn't have this issue with Texas Cannon ball.But coming from Analog productions and at thirty bucks a pop )I expect better vinyl quality than this. So dead quiet vinyl no great sound yes.

AMAZING posted on 10/27/2011 5 Stars Reviewer: Sam This is one of the best-sounding blues re-issues. I've heard. I put it right up there with Pure Pleasure Stevie Ray Vaughn and Classic Records "Muddy Waters, Folk Singer." Besides the incredible dynamics, the music itself is incredible.

Killer King posted on 08/20/2011 5 Stars Reviewer: audiofan This classic blues album has never sounded this alive, warm, articulate, and inviting. QRP has done lovers of the blues - indeed, all of us who love music with real soul and feeling, a tremendous service with this title and its follow-up, "Texas Cannonball". Both could almost bring the dead back to life, such is the passion, feeling, and love of life imbedded in these dead-silent grooves. For the age of the recordings, these re-issues are state-of-the-art examples of how to press first-rate vinyl - one just can't realistically ask for more. Two words: Buy. Now.

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