Popa Chubby: A Freddie King tribute album with all-star guests
It will be released on March 28, 2025, released by Gulf Coast Records.”I Love Freddie King”, the new album by the American blues guitarist Popa Chubbywith special guests Joe Bonamassa, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram And Mike Zito. CD pre-orders are available now on the Popa Chubby website, followed by digital pre-orders on January 31st.
Previewing the album are three singles that will be available with this calendar: January 31st – “I’m Going Down” (with Joe Bonamassa); February 21 – “Big Legged Woman” (with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram) and March 14 – “She’s a Burglar” (with Mike Zito).
“I Love Freddie King” was recorded at GB’s Juke Joint, produced by Popa Chubby, with Mike Zito as executive producer and was mixed by VD King, with mastering by David Farrell.
Popa Chubby writes in the album’s liner notes:
To say I’ve dreamed of making this record for 30 years would be an understatement. I remember I was 18, I’d been playing guitar for a year or two, and an old guy in the neighborhood told me I needed to check out Freddie King. I immediately listened to ‘Hideaway’ and ‘Have You Ever Loved a Woman’ and my mind was changed forever. Years later, I signed with Sony Records and covered “Palace Of The King” and “Same Old Blues” from the “Getting Ready” album. However, it wasn’t until early last year that the muse hit me and the idea of having some of the world’s greatest pickers join me in celebrating Texas Cannonball.
I started putting together a list of songs. I had to include some of the early guitar instrumentals, I had to include the Shelter Records material from the Leon Russell era. And I absolutely had to include the Mike Vernon era “Burglar” record. Freddy was a multifaceted artist who spanned across genres and blues and blew the doors off everything he touched. It was pure and simple soul, sweat and sausage.
I wanted more than anything to do this music justice and put together a core band, with some of the greatest musicians in the business: Michael Merritt on bass, Andrei Koribanics III on drums and Mike DiMeo on keyboards.
We gathered at G. Bluey’s Juke Joint in Long Island City for a three-day block and tracked down 11 of Freddie’s greatest compositions. We were then graced by the love of Joe Bonamassa, Mike Zito, Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram, Eric Gales, Albert Castiglia, Arthur Neilson and VD King, who made incredible contributions to these recordings.
Let me tell you, it’s been a journey! Halfway through these recordings, I was paralyzed by a rare spinal disease that left me with a 90% chance of paralysis. I had surgery and I’m walking and recovering!!!”
Popa Chubby also stated:
I love Freddie King! We all love Freddie, The Texas Cannonball, the missing link between blues and rock. To quote Eric Clapton: “I especially liked white rockers, then I heard Freddie King and I knew where I belonged. I was over the moon. “
For me I can say that in 1976 I listened to “Just Pickin” and it changed my soul forever. We get to 2024: I tell Zito that I want to make a tribute record to Freddie – can you help me find some guests? ‘Give me a wish list,’ Zito says and we got to work. The result is a spectacular offering that revisits every phase of Freddie’s vast repertoire with some of my favorite musicians. And yes, we all love Freddie King.
The band:
Popa Chubby – Guitars and Vocals
Mike Merritt – Bass
Andrei Koribanics III – Drums
Mike DiMeo – Keyboards
Harold Horowitz – Trumpet
Curtis Hotgrefe – Tenor and Baritone Saxophones
Band Vocals – Eliza Neals
Track List and Featuring
I’m Going Down ft. Joe Bonamassa
Love Her With A Feeling ft. Albert Castiglia
My Credit Didn’t Go Through ft. Eric Gales
Big Legged Woman ft. Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram
She’s A Burglar ft. Mike Zito
Hideaway ft. Arthur Neilson
The Stumble ft. Albert Castiglia
San Ho Zay ft. Arthur Neilson
Pack It Up with Popa Chubby and The Beast Band
Heads Up ft. Arthur Neilson
Same Old Blues ft. VD King
