Album of the Day

Born on this day in 1923, Albert King was blues guitar royalty, and BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN stands as his crowning achievement. As the 1967 collection consists largely of singles, you'd expect the quality level to be high; that these sides were recorded at Stax with house band Booker T. and The MG's pushes them through the roof. "Crosscut Saw," "Oh Pretty Woman," "The Hunter" and the title track became modern blues classics in King's nimble hands, and his stinging leads inspired several rock players, including Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. The Grammy and Blues Foundation Halls of Fame have both enshrined BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN, and if you're just now discovering this blues masterpiece, consider it your lucky day.