Along with B.B. and Albert, Freddie King was known as one of the “Three Kings of the Blues.” And of the three, he’s generally credited with having the greatest impact on rock. Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan and countless others have acknowledged a great debt to his brand of guitar playing and have covered his songs.

Clapton and King toured together in the ‘70s and both Clapton and Jeff Beck have recorded his songs. In 1977, King was the winner of the W.C. Handy Award for Blues Reissue of the Year, beating out classic reissues by B.B. King, Mississippi John Hurt, Bobby “Blue” Bland, and Slim Harpo.