Benny Turner Revisits Freddie King's Legacy for 50th Anniversary of His Passing

LANCASTER, Pa. - Rezul -- Nola Blue Records announces My Brother's Blues: From Texas to Chicago, set for release on December 28, 2026, the 50th anniversary of Freddie King's passing. A commemorative edition of Benny Turner's 2017 album My Brother's Blues, the record has been remixed and remastered and features three new tracks plus special guest appearances by Bobby Rush, Jimmie Vaughan, Billy Branch and Derek O'Brien. King, one of the "Three Kings of Blues," is an inductee of both the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Born in Gilmer, Texas, in 1939, Benny Turner and his older brother Freddie King learned guitar from their mother, Ella Mae (King) Turner. Though best known as bassist for the Freddie King Band, Turner went on to play with Mighty Joe Young and later with New Orleans blues queen Marva Wright. Turner's award-winning autobiography, Survivor: The Benny Turner Story, was published in 2017. A multiple Blues Music Award nominee for instrumentalist (bass), he is also an inductee into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame. In 2026, he received the Jus' Blues Music Foundation's inaugural Benny Turner Sideman Award, established in his honor to celebrate the lasting contributions of sidemen to the blues tradition. The award honors his more than 55 years of work as a sideman within a professional music career spanning more than seven decades.

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This reissue is historic not only for its family ties, but for the circumstances that made it possible. Following a health crisis in the summer of 2025, Turner faced an uncertain future and questioned whether he would ever return to the studio. Recording sessions at Arlyn Studios in Austin, Joyride Studio in Chicago, Dexter Allen Studio in Jackson, Mississippi, and Teaneck Sound Studio in Teaneck, New Jersey, ultimately brought the project to completion—a testament to Turner's resilience and enduring drive to make music. Now approaching his 87th birthday, Turner is even reconsidering his retirement from the stage.

"I didn't know if I'd ever get back in the studio again after everything I went through last year, so just being here to finish this record means more to me than I can say," says Benny Turner. "Freddie was my big brother before he was anybody's blues legend, and I loved him very much. I was with him when he played his first note, and I was with him when he played his last note. Having Bobby, Jimmie, Billy and Derek stand with me on this—men I respect deeply—has been a mighty high."

"It has been an experience of a lifetime to hear firsthand memories of Freddie and witness the deep regard these highly esteemed musicians have for both Freddie and Benny," says Sallie Bengtson, president of Nola Blue Records."

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"Benny Turner did an exceptional job of paying homage to his legendary brother, the late,       great Freddie King. It was a pleasure and honor to have been a part of this wonderful recording." —Billy Branch

"I just recorded two new songs with my longtime friend, Benny Turner, Freddie King's brother. It was so exciting recording this record, and I think our fans and friends are going to be excited as well. It's from the old school. Look out! It's a killer." —Bobby Rush

Remixed and remastered, with three new tracks and new guest performances, the expanded edition brings a fresh perspective to the original album. Bengtson continues, "I am overjoyed with Benny's excitement over every aspect of the project, including the cover art image of him riding an armadillo out of Texas, hand-painted by my sixteen-year-old niece. This was her first commissioned art project, and I'm quite sure it won't be her last! There are layers of family pride and love throughout this album."

My Brother's Blues: From Texas to Chicago will be available in CD, vinyl and digital formats. Preorders will begin November 20, 2026.

For more about Benny Turner, visit bennyturner.com and follow him on Facebook and Instagram at @bennyturnerbass.