Benny Turner Explained

Benny Turner
Birth Date:27 October 1939
Birth Place:Gilmer, Texas, United States
Genre:Blues
Occupation:Musician
Label:One-derful, Nola Blue, Inc.
Associated Acts:Freddie King, Dee Clark, Mighty Joe Young, Marva Wright

Benny Turner (born October 27, 1939)[1] is an American blues musician. He is the younger brother of Freddie King and was the bass guitarist for the Freddie King Band. Later, Turner joined Mighty Joe Young as the bass guitarist of his band before becoming the bandleader for Marva Wright for 20 years. After many years as a sideman, Turner started his solo career.

Early years

Turner was born in Gilmer, Texas, on October 27, 1939. He and his older brother Freddie King learned how to play guitar from their mother, Ella Mae (King) Turner, and her brothers Leon and Leonard King. In the 1950s, Turner moved to Chicago with his family.[2]

Career

Turner started his music career playing guitar for The Kindly Shepherds, a gospel group on the Nashboro Records label. He joined the group on several recordings, playing guitar and accompanying background vocals. At the time, Turner also started playing with his brother at Chicago clubs such as the Squeeze Club and Walton's Corner, where he met Dee Clark and was invited to join him and his R&B band on the road.[3] Later, Turner would play bass for The Soul Stirrers. He eventually rejoined his brother's band and toured regularly, performing with musicians such as Eric Clapton, John Fogerty and Grand Funk Railroad.[4] While at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1973, members of Freddie's band were asked to sit in with Memphis Slim, and Turner played bass on the recording of "Memphis Slim – Very Much Alive and in Montreux."[3]

Following the death of Freddie King in 1976, Turner became deeply depressed and was hospitalized. After two years of seclusion, he was convinced to start performing again and joined Mighty Joe Young's band, which he played in for eight years. During that time, Turner and Young appeared in the 1981 film Thief while playing live at the Wise Fools Pub in Chicago.[5] Later, Turner moved to New Orleans and became the bandleader for Marva Wright in 1986, playing with her band for 20 years.[6] [7]

After Wright's death in 2010, Turner went on to release four albums including his critically acclaimed 2014 album of original work called Journey.[8] He also rejoined other members of the original Freddie King band for a brief tour celebrating King's 80th birthday.[9] [10] His 2016 album When She's Gone was dedicated to his mother Ella Mae and featured a collection of six original reissues from his album, Blue and Not So Blue, and four blues standards. His autobiography, Survivor : The Benny Turner Story,[11] was published on July 8, 2017.[12] Also in 2017, Turner released his latest album, My Brother's Blues.[13] This award-winning album is a tribute to big brother Freddie King and features 11 tunes from Freddie's songbook that are of special significance to Benny. In 2019, Turner joined forces with longtime friend and fellow Chicago musician Cash McCall to record Going Back Home,[14] revisiting their days of playing on Chicago's South and West Sides.

On October 27, 2019, Turner celebrated his 80th birthday at the Inaugural Lone Star Blues and Heritage Festival in Grapeland, Texas. Governor Greg Abbott of Texas officially recognized this milestone and Turner's many contributions to music and music history.

Awards and accolades

Discography

AlbumArtistRelease DateCredit
Gives You a Bonanza of InstrumentalsFreddie King1965Bass
Very Much Alive and in MontreuxMemphis Slim1973Bass
Larger Than LifeFreddie King1975Bass
Freddie King (1934-1976)Freddie King1977Bass
Takin' Care of BusinessFreddie King1985Electric bass, bass
Live in Antibes, 1974Freddie King1988Bass
Live at the Wise Fools PubMighty Joe Young1990Guitar (bass)
The Blues Is...Otis Clay1991 Vocals, bass
The Gospel TruthOtis Clay1993Guitar, background vocals, bass
When the Gates Swing OpenOtis Clay1994Guitar, background vocals, bass
Let the Good Times RollFreddie King1994Bass
Born with the BluesMarva Wright1996Bass
Mighty ManMighty Joe Young 1997Guitar (bass)
Bluesiana MamaMarva Wright 1999Bass
Paris Mississippi BluesMemphis Slim2005Bass
Do Right Woman: The Soul of New OrleansMarva Wright2006Bass
After the Levees BrokeMarva Wright2007Producer, arranger, guitar (bass), background vocals
A Tribute to My Brother Freddie KingBenny Turner2011Primary artist
Journey Benny Turner2014Primary artist
When She's GoneBenny Turner2016Primary artist, producer, composer, bass, guitar, vocals[31]
My Brother's BluesBenny Turner2017Primary artist[32]
Going Back HomeBenny Turner/Cash McCall 2019Producer, primary artist, bass, guitar, vocals[33]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bio. Bennyturner.com. 9 April 2018.
  2. Web site: Blues man Benny Turner returns to Gilmer roots. Kirby. Mary. February 20, 2014. Gilmer Mirror. March 12, 2017.
  3. Web site: Benny Turner Biography. Nola Blue, Inc.. March 12, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170313044432/http://www.bennyturner.com/bio.html. March 13, 2017. dead.
  4. Benny Turner: Stepping into the Spotlight. Living Blues. August 2013. March 12, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170313044450/http://www.bennyturner.com/uploads/1/0/0/7/10079858/livingblues.pdf. March 13, 2017. dead.
  5. Web site: Benny Turner. IMDB. March 12, 2017.
  6. Web site: Reunion band channels fiery guitarist Freddie King . Daryl. Nerl. March 26, 2015. The Morning Call. March 12, 2017.
  7. Web site: Benny Turner: Blues Groove Never Gone. Michalis. Limnios. April 20, 2016. Blues GR. March 12, 2017.
  8. Web site: Benny Turner. March 20, 2015. NAMM. March 12, 2017.
  9. Web site: Gilmer native seeks more recognition for musical family. Scott. Jones. July 1, 2014. CBS. March 12, 2017.
  10. Web site: Members of Freddie King's original touring band reunite for Richardson concert. Daniel . Houston. December 17, 2015. Dallas News. March 12, 2017.
  11. Web site: Survivor: The Benny Turner Story. Bill. Dahl. 8 July 2017. Amazon.com. 9 April 2018.
  12. http://www.bennyturner.com/survivor1
  13. Web site: Benny Turner – My Brother's Blues Album Review. Bluesblastmagazine.com. 29 September 2017 . en-US. 2018-05-04.
  14. Web site: Benny Turner and Cash McCall-Going Back Home Album Review. 15 June 2019.
  15. News: OffBeat Magazine's Best of the Beat Awards 2014. OffBeat Magazine. 2018-05-04. en-US.
  16. Web site: 2016 Blues Blast Music Awards – Blues Blast Magazine. Bluesblastmagazine.com. 27 June 2016 . en-US. 2018-05-04.
  17. News: Independent Blues Awards Announced! – Making A Scene!. 2016-06-29. Making A Scene!. 2018-05-04. en-US.
  18. News: The 15th Independent Music Awards Winners - Independent Music Awards. Independent Music Awards. 2018-05-04. en-US.
  19. News: The 16th Independent Music Awards Nominees - Independent Music Awards. Independent Music Awards. 2018-05-04. en-US.
  20. Web site: The 17th Independent Music Awards Nominees & Winners. Independent Music Awards. en-US. 2020-04-01.
  21. Web site: Global Music Awards - Music Competition. Globalmusicawards.com. 2018-05-04.
  22. Web site: 2017 Honorees. JUS BLUES MUSIC FOUNDATION. en. 2018-05-04.
  23. Web site: Chicago Blues Hall of Fame ® Artists inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame ® on October 15th. 2017 includes:: Eddie C. Campbell Holle Thee Maxwell Gene "Daddy G" Barge Barry Goldberg Carl Weathersby Merle Perkins Big Llou Johnson Billy Branch John Primer Benny Turner Katherine Davis Carlos Johnson Abb Locke Mary Lane Zora Young Felton Crews Shirley Johnson Smiley Tillmon Peaches Staten Lil' Ed Williams Mike Garrett James "Pookie" Young. Blueshalloffame.com. 2018-05-04.
  24. Web site: October 27 named "Benny Turner Day" in Gilmer, TX. Prlog.org. 2018-05-04.
  25. Web site: BLUES MUSIC AWARDS - Blues Foundation. blues.org. en-US. 2018-05-04.
  26. Web site: 2018 Blues Blast Music Awards Nominees – Blues Blast Magazine. 4 June 2018 . en-US. 2020-04-01.
  27. News: 25th Annual Living Blues Awards (2018) - Living Blues Magazine. 2018-07-31. Living Blues Magazine. 2018-09-24. en-US.
  28. Web site: 26th Annual Living Blues Awards (2019). 2019-08-03. Living Blues Magazine. en. 2020-04-01.
  29. Web site: 2019 Nominees The 2019 Blues Blast Music Awards. en-US. 2020-04-01.
  30. Web site: 2019 Independent Blues Awards!. 2019-09-03. Making A Scene!. en-US. 2020-04-01.
  31. Web site: Benny Turner Credits. AllMusic. March 12, 2017.
  32. Web site: My Brother's Blues. 9 April 2018. Amazon.com.
  33. Web site: Going Back Home. Amazon.com.

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