Poll: Albert, B.B. or Freddie King — Who Is the Real “King” of the Blues?

Exactly why legendary blues guitarists Albert King, B.B. King and Freddie King never got together to make a blues-themed Christmas album called We Three Kings is one of the great mysteries of the universe.

I figure it would've been an obvious move.

However, one thing that isn't so obvious is this: Who among the three axe-wielding Kings — Albert, B.B. or Freddie (no relation, by the way) — should be considered the king of Kings?

Was it the late Albert King, whose famous "Albert King bend" was the cornerstone of Stevie Ray Vaughan's slow-blues technique? Was it the late Freddie King (who was born on this date in 1934), whose early-'60s instrumentals inspired Eric Clapton to grab a Les Paul and morph into "God" for a year-plus? Or is it B.B. King, who can say more with one note than (fill in the blank) can say with 90 notes?

Cast your vote below!

P.S.: My vote goes to Freddie, based on one album — Let's Hide Away and Dance Away — alone. But that's just me ...

Damian Fanelli is the online managing editor at Guitar World.

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