Marcus King reunites together with his previous band for an album filled with Southern tales of ache and struggling. Darling Blue blends components of R&B, ’60s rock and roll, and deep-fried guitar sounds with an array of friends together with Billy Strings. King’s coronary heart lies within the nice state of South Carolina, nevertheless it gives much more than peaches.

What made you determine to rejoin your previous band?
It has at all times kinda been me and my drummer, Jack Ryan. That’s how I began, and that’s how I proceed to go. It took us some time to determine issues out. For what it’s price, the primary document had a unique lineup than the second – and the third, for that matter – apart from me and Jack. I met Jack once I was 17, and it was kismet. We love working collectively and we now have a love for a similar form of music, so we began making music.

This time, it simply felt proper. I reconnected with an previous good friend, Eddie Speer. The final time he and I labored collectively, he was the engineer for Dave Cobb at RCA on the final Marcus King Band document in 2018. He grew to become a hot-shot producer in that point, so we reconnected in Macon. The timing was proper and he was all-in on a collaborative document.

Darling Blue has a beautiful sense of place. You possibly can hear the place you come from.
South Carolina is certainly a predominant character on this document. It’s bought a voice.

How was it working with Billy Strings?
I’ve identified Billy a very long time. He’s as busy as I’m. Once I was on the street, he was again dwelling, so he was capable of get into the studio and do some work for us. I really like what he did, and it speaks for itself.

Speak about a few of the guitars you used on the document.
A variety of the acoustic tones you’re listening to are from a ’39 Martin D-18. That’s my go-to for pure acoustic sounds. Other than that, I’ve a ’61 0-18. A variety of instances, if you hear a brighter-sounding acoustic, that’s a ’61 Concord Sovereign. A great instance of that’s on “The Shadows.”

How about electrical guitars?
For electrics, I at all times have Massive Purple with me, which is a ’62 Gibson 345. I used it in loads of locations on the document. I even have a ’66 Esquire named Smokey. On a few of the more-aggressive materials, I used my Banker Explorer, which is a velocity demon. It’s a extremely enjoyable guitar. I additionally used my ’69 Black Magnificence. I picked up a Gibson Barney Kessel once I was in Munich, and it rapidly grew to become certainly one of my favourite guitars. I used to be influenced by Steve Howe and Sure. I really like the sound of a giant jazz-style Gibson getting used for a fusion-like sound, and controlling that suggestions. It soars. It’s like using on the again of a Pegasus.

Was Massive Purple the unique out of your grandfather or the signature mannequin Gibson made for you?
I used the unique within the studio.

Which pedals did you employ?
The Behringer Tremendous Fuzz was used extensively on this document, in addition to my Tru-Fi Fuzz. Additionally, my Tube Screamer. I at all times have that with me, however loads of the tones had been attributed to the amplifier. I used my Marshall plexi, a Gibson, and my Tremendous Reverb.

What’s subsequent?
For a few years, I’ve been working alongside Paul Riddle, who was the unique drummer for the Marshall Tucker Band, Oteil Burbridge from the Allman Brothers Band and Lifeless & Firm, and Charlie Starr from Blackberry Smoke to honor the music of The Marshall Tucker Band. I’ve been on a campaign to get them inducted to the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame, and I’m making an attempt to supply a documentary round that. I believe it’s an injustice that The Marshall Tucker Band hasn’t been inducted but. That’s been taking on a big a part of my social calendar as of late, and I believe it’s one thing that must be corrected.

How did The Marshall Tucker Band affect your music?
They’re from Spartanburg, about half-hour from the place I grew up, and featured among the best songwriters of all time – Toy Caldwell. Their songs had been forward of their time – good previous nation music performed on rock radio, with influences of soul, Oakland funk, massive band jazz, rock and roll, and, in fact, nation. They’d all of the influences I grew up with. They’re my favourite band, and present {that a} band may develop up and get out of South Carolina. South Carolina’s best export, second solely to peaches, is The Marshall Tucker Band, and so they influenced me enormously. – Oscar Jordan

This text initially appeared in VG’s November 2025 difficulty. All copyrights are by the writer and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.