Laying down some blues.
Marcus King belongs to no genre. The South Carolina native blends country and southern rock with soul and blues as he rips soulful guitar riffs while letting out honky tonk twangs ring from his mouth. His unique sound allows him to bend genre lines and lay down a wide variety of covers… nailing every single one.
After recently seeing Marcus King and Drew Smithers as a part of their acoustic tour, I was captivated by the number of covers King laid down. From the Marshall Tucker band to Pink Floyd, we got a treat during his show at The Caverns in Tennessee. Since the show, I have found myself deep-diving into Marcus King’s covers, studying and falling in love with how he always makes a cover his own without losing the integrity of the initial recording.
It’s a talent that not many people possess.
I’ve spoken before about how much I love a Carter Vintage Guitar session and how Marcus King’s cover of Merle Haggard’s “Workin’ Man Blues” is one of my all-time favorite videos Carter Vintage Guitars has produced. It’s right up there next to Billy Strings and Marcus King’s take on “Summertime,” and Bella White’s “Numbers” performance. The production quality of these videos is unmatched.
Carter Vintage Guitars was reading my mind and gifted us with another Marcus King video right after Christmas, where he covers the Ray Charles hit “I’m Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town.” It’s just what I needed to add to my “favorite covers” collection.
Marcus King leans into the soulful side of his sound as he plays a 1958 Fender Stratocaster through a Dumble Tweedle-Dee amp. Just like you can hear the soul in King’s voice, the rich history of this guitar adds an old-time feel to the song.
“I’m Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town” was initially recorded in 1936 by Casey Bill Weldon. The song was made famous by other artists in the 1900s, like Ray Charles, who covered it in 1961. However, the single has been recorded by numerous artists over the years, including Willie Nelson, B.B. King, The Allman Brothers, Rod Stewart, and many more.
King holds his own among this list of greats, laying down a stellar cover. The simplicity of the electric guitar and himself allows listeners to hone in on his vocals and become mesmerized by his picking style. The addition of King’s dog, Duck, in the background also provides some ambiance to the listening experience, as though you are listening to him play in your living room.
“I’m gonna move baby, way out on the outskirts of town
I’m gonna move baby, way out on the outskirts of town
You see I don’t need nobody, always hangin’ ’round
Let me tell you honey, we gonna move away from here
I don’t need no iceman, I’m gonna, get you a Frigidaire
When we move, way out on the outskirts of town
Whoa, you see we won’t need no-body, always hangin’ ’round….”
Marcus King is an unreal talent, and this video is well worth the watch during the lull between now and New Year’s Day.
Fire this one up at max volume.