Freddie King: The Unsung Hero of the Blues Guitar Trinity
Freddie King—often considered the least known of the three Kings of the Blues Guitar—was Eric Clapton’s personal favourite.
His legendary instrumentals The Stumble and Hide Away have become rite-of-passage material for aspiring blues guitarists. Known for his prolific output, Freddie recorded dozens of such instrumentals and earned a reputation for his fiery lead lines and sharp tone.
But he wasn’t just a phenomenal guitarist—Freddie also possessed a powerful voice, showcased on vocal-led classics like Have You Ever Loved A Woman, I’m Tore Down, and his cover of Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers.
One of his most iconic instrumental recordings, The Stumble (1962), was part of a series of 30 instrumentals cut with producer and pianist Sonny Thompson. While perhaps not as widely known as Hide Away, The Stumble poses an even greater challenge for the budding blues player.
As with all great guitar learning, the deeper you dig, the more you’ll discover. If you’re serious about blues guitar, aim to imitate every nuance of Freddie’s playing. Only once you’ve truly nailed it should you let go—so it becomes not just something you play, but part of who you are.
Freddie King | Related Pages
Ain’t No Sunshine | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers using chords, lyrics, a chord chart, chord analysis, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Am7 Em G5 | Am7 | Am7 Em G5 |
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone, it’s not warm when she’s away…
Start learning with the full lesson series: Ain’t No Sunshine – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
The Stumble | Chords
You can learn how to play The Stumble , Hide Away, The Moon Is Rising by Freddie King using chords, a chord chart, and a Spytunes video guitar lesson.
Instrumental
| A7 | A7 | E7 (F#7 F7) | E7 |
Freddie King on the web
