James King
Best known for
Guitar
James King was a Virginia-born lead singer and guitarist dubbed "The Bluegrass Storyteller" by Tom T. Hall — a former Marine whose Rounder Records run, James King Band, and Longview supergroup made him one of the most emotionally direct traditional bluegrass voices of the 1990s and 2000s.
- Born September 9, 1958 in Martinsville, Virginia; based in Cana, Carroll County, Virginia.
- Dubbed "The Bluegrass Storyteller" by Tom T. Hall for his ability to deliver story-songs with raw emotional authenticity.
- Served in the United States Marine Corps before launching his bluegrass career.
- Signed with Rounder Records in 1992 and released debut "These Old Pictures" (1993); remained on Rounder for the bulk of his career.
- Led the James King Band, named IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year in 1997.
- Co-founded the supergroup Longview in 1997 with Dudley Connell, Don Rigsby, and others; their self-titled debut won IBMA Recorded Event of the Year.
- Honorary member of Ralph Stanley's Clinch Mountain Boys, reflecting his rootedness in the Stanley Brothers tradition.
- His 2013 album "Three Chords and the Truth" received a Grammy nomination and was his final studio recording. Inducted into the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame in 2014; died May 19, 2016.
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James KingPlayed on recordings with James King
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LongviewPlayed on recordings with Longview
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Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain BoysPlayed on recordings with Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys
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Paul WilliamsPlayed on recording with Paul Williams