KEVIN KING

Kevin King, born in Roseville, Sydney, NSW in 1931, developed a love for country music after hearing Tex Morton sing ''Rocky Ned'' on the radio. A self-taught guitarist, he entered several talent quests, winning a guitar as first prize on Sydney’s Radio 2CH. In 1951, he competed in the Tim McNamara Talent Quest and won a heat. Teaming up with guitar picker Pat Ware, Kevin played pubs, clubs, charity shows, and radio programs. In 1952, he signed with the Regal Zonophone label and recorded a couple of singles, including the now-famous 78rpm ''Rub-A-Dub-Dub'' backed with ''With This Ring I Thee Wed'', which sold about 20,000 copies. By the late ’50s, he moved to the Columbia label, releasing several singles and an EP with them into the early ’70s.

In the 60s, he settled in Sydney and became the resident singer with his band at the Texas Tavern in Kings Cross, entertaining American servicemen on R&R from Vietnam. He later moved to the Crystal Palace Hotel in Railway Square, where he performed for five years, followed by another five years at the Regent Street Transport Club. This 11-year stretch was a golden era for country music artists, during which he collaborated with top names like Cowboy Bob Purtell, Jan Kelly, Phil and Tommy Emmanuel, Kenny Kitching, Allan Caswell, Lee Brittan, Mort Fist (Erskineville Slim), Doug Castle, and Terry Smith.

In the early 1970s, Kevin was invited by Slim Dusty to join him, his family, Michael Cooke, and Barry Thornton on a trip to New Guinea for his show. Around this time, Kevin became a sought-after studio musician, playing rhythm and acoustic guitar, harmonica, and Dobro steel guitar on tracks for artists like Tex Morton, Johnny Ashcroft, Slim Dusty, Lionel Long, Buddy Williams, Gordon Parsons, and Smoky Dawson. In 1977, he was inducted into the Tamworth Hands of Fame. In the late 1980s, Kevin returned to the studio to record the album 'Kevin King Sings In Ernest', a 13-track tribute to Ernest Tubb. He compiled albums of his early 45 and 78 rpm recordings, available through his website. In 2007, Kevin King was honored with induction into the Tamworth Roll of Renown. Kevin died in 2023.

SINGLES

''The High Cost Of Living / Someday You'll Call My Name'' 1958 Columbia
''It's A Boy / It's A Great Life'' 1958 Columbia
''My Son Calls Another Man Daddy / Somebody'Ughed' On You ''1958 Columbia
''The Girl On The Dance Floor / I'm Gonna Celebrate Now'' 1958 Columbia
''I Don't Love You Anymore / The Girl In Green'' 1967 Festival
''Swingin' Doors / Wabash Cannonball'' 1969 Columbia

EPs

'I Take A Lot Of Pride' 1971 Columbia