Let The Good Times Roll (Live 1975 @ January Sound Dallas)

The Zoo Crew is spinning the electrifying "Let The Good Times Roll (Live 1975 @ January Sound Dallas)" by Freddie King, pulled from the raw and soulful January Sound Studios Promo album, and the Zoo Freaks are surely feeling the groove. This live rendition, captured at January Sound Studios in Dallas, Texas, on March 31, 1975, crackles with Freddie’s signature Texas blues energy. The performance was part of a KZEW-FM broadcast, showcasing his ability to blend Chicago and Texas blues with a funky edge, as noted in a post on X by @3PickupMusicMan, which praised Freddie for making the blues “a bit funkier.” The song itself, a cover of the classic by Shirley and Lee, is transformed by Freddie’s forceful guitar and lion-like vocals, a style described by the Blues Foundation as striking “like a rattlesnake.”

One juicy tidbit about this live recording is its raw, unpolished vibe, which fans on platforms like Telecaster Guitar Forum have dissected for its unique tone. Some speculate Freddie achieved that warm, slightly fuzzed-out sound on his later recordings, like this one, by cranking a Fender amp (possibly a Super Reverb) with treble and volume maxed out, paired with his iconic metal finger picks and thumb pick. This setup, combined with his intense attack, gave the performance a gritty, soulful edge that set it apart from his earlier, cleaner recordings. The YouTube upload of this Dallas set highlights the setlist’s flow, kicking off with a KZEW intro by Ken Rundell before launching into crowd-pleasers like “Big Legged Woman” and “Hideaway,” with “Let The Good Times Roll” as a high-energy standout.

Freddie King, born Fred Christian on September 3, 1934, in Gilmer, Texas, was destined for blues greatness. According to his Wikipedia bio, he picked up the guitar at age six, guided by his mother, Ella Mae King, and his uncle, both skilled players. By his teens, Freddie was soaking up the sounds of blues legends like Muddy Waters and T-Bone Walker, sneaking into Chicago’s South Side nightclubs after his family moved there in 1949. He formed his first band, the Every Hour Blues Boys, with guitarist Jimmie Lee Robinson and drummer Frank “Sonny” Scott, honing his craft in the city’s vibrant blues scene. Despite rejections from Chess Records, Freddie’s big break came in 1960 when King Records signed him, leading to his smash instrumental “Hide Away,” which hit No. 29 on the pop charts and became a blues standard covered by Eric Clapton and others.

Known as the “Texas Cannonball” and one of the “Three Kings” of blues guitar (alongside B.B. and Albert King), Freddie’s career was marked by his innovative fusion of Texas and Chicago styles. His influence rippled across genres, inspiring rock icons like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jerry Garcia, who, in a quote from his Wikipedia page, credited Freddie’s album Let’s Hide Away and Dance Away for shaping his early electric guitar phrasing. Tragically, Freddie passed away in 1976 at age 42 from pancreatitis and stomach ulcers, but his legacy endures, celebrated by fans and honored with inductions into the Blues Hall of Fame (1982) and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2012).

While Freddie King’s official website is no longer active, fans can dive into his world through various online hubs. His Facebook page shares updates on reissues and tributes, while Instagram posts under #freddieking showcase fan art and vinyl collections. On X, accounts like @ChiBluesHistory and @bluezharp keep his memory alive, noting milestones like Texas’ “Freddie King Day” declared by Governor Ann Richards in 1993. Fan communities thrive on sites like Discogs, where collectors trade rare vinyl, and Facebook groups like “Freddie King Fans” connect enthusiasts sharing live bootlegs and gear tips. These platforms keep the Texas Cannonball’s spirit rocking for the Zoo Freaks and beyond.