King Ernest

“King” Ernest Baker (May 30, 1939 – March 5, 2000) was an American blues and soul singer. He recorded “I Feel Alright” and “That’s When I Woke Up.” Baker was born in Natchez, Mississippi, and died in a car crash in 2000, just after finishing recording an album.

Coming from a large family, he was the 3rd born of 11 children. Ernest was born in Natchez, Mississippi on May 5, 1939. His great-grandfather was an Italian violinist from Milan who lived to be 109. According to Baker, all of his Southern State children (referred to as half-Mulatto in those times) were violinists and guitar players. His grandfather was part of a Baker Band Revue, which played around and in Louisiana and Mississippi. His father was a guitarist who would play at the Honky-tonk places in the south. He recalled sitting on his fathers knee at around seven years old and listening to his father signing and playing his slide guitar. He would also hold out a cup for the listeners to put money in to. Blues singer Bobby Bland is a cousin of King Ernest.

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