King Curtis – Memphis Soul Stew

"Memphis Soul Stew" (live) King Curtis & The Kingpins

Soul Serenade

King Curtis was a great saxophonist (Why wasn’t he or Junior Walker a hero for sax playing Lisa Simpson?). He came to prominence in the UK with SOUL TWIST (Atlantic), then The Monkey. His SOUL SERENADE (1964) was the original and more popular than the later versions by Beau Dollar, Willie Mitchell, or The Mike Cotton Sound and there was even a vocal version by Brooks O Dell.  MEMPHIS SOUL STEW (1967) was a much played track at the Blue Note Club, and The ‘Wheel’ in Manchester in the sixties.

Other King Curtis Tracks include:-

PETER GUN THEME (original Henry Mancini). He also played sax on John Lennon’s IMAGINE.

King Curtis was a fantastic R&B tenor sax master.

1958 at Atlantic/Atco he saxed up the Coasters recordings.
1961 ‘Soul Twist’ on Enjoy Records was his first hit.

1963-1964 he was at Capitol Records; ‘Soul Serenade’

1965 back to Atlantic
1967 leading Aretha Franklin‘s backing band, the Kingpins.

Sadly he joins Al Jackson Jnr, (Booker T&The MG’s), Darell Banks, Sam Cooke, and several other soul artists who were murdered. King Curtis died on 14th August 1971.

Born 7th February 1934 – Fort Worth, Texas

Real Name   Curtis Ousley

Died 14th August 1971 – New York City

Cause of death  Murdered

King Curtis – tsimon.com