Kevin with Nev Nicholls
Kev's CDs available here.
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Australia's own Legend of Country Entertainment
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Kevin King is another of my all time favorite people,
not only as an artist but as a friend.
It's been a long time since I have seen Kevin & his good wife Pat but when I have spoken to them
on the phone they have always been the same, they always have time for a chat about the early days,
something I never tire of doing.
Kevin arrived in this world on the 19th December 1931. Born at his parents home in Roseville
Sydney the youngest of three sons. As a nine year old in 1941 he was smitton with country music
after hearing Tex Morton singing Rocky Ned on the radio. There after began a life time of
dedication to become a Country Music Star. At 18 years of age, self taught guitarist Kevin
entered various talent quests winning for himself, a guitar as first prize on radio station 2CH
Sydney.
In 1951 Kevin teamed up with guitar picker Pat Ware, playing many pubs, clubs and
charity shows and radio programs. At 21 Kevin was called to EMI studios and recorded several
sides on the Regal Zonophone label in 1952. One of the songs was the now famous
"Rub-A-Dub-Dub" backed by "With This Ring I Thee Wed".
This recording session was the beginning of Kevin's career and he subsequently recorded 28 sides over the years on the
Columbia and Regal Zonophone labels.
In 1956 Kevin organised the "All Star Western Show" comprising of the following atrists,
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Nev Nicholls,||
Chad Morgan,||
Rick & Thel
and fiddler Peter Mollerson. This show toured Australia for 15 months and played to big
audiences in Town & Country. Kevin then spent 2 years travelling with "The Reg Lindsay Show"
Australia wide.
Kevin settled in Sydney after these tours and was resident singer with his band at the Texas
Tavern, Kings Cross, entertaining American Servicemen on R&R leave from Vietnam. He then moved
to the Crystal Palace Hotel Railway Square Sydney where he stayed for 5 years, from there he
moved to the Regent Street Transport Club where he stayed for a further 5 years. This eleven
years was the boom time for Country Music Artists, to name a few who appeared with him were:
Cowboy Bob Purtell,||
Jan Kelly, Phil & Tommy Emmanual, Ken Kitcking, Warren
Neilsen, also guitarist Dave Longmore, Johnny Walker, Alan Caswell, Lee Britton
also Harmonica Player Mort Fist, Drummer Doug Castle, Bass man Terry Smith
and many more.
During the early 70's Kevin was thrilled to be asked by Slim Dusty to join him and his
family, Michael Cook and Barry Thornton to travel with them to New Guinea to appear
on his show. Also in the 70's Kevin recorded some sides with the Festival Label.
The 70's also saw Kevin as studio musician for many of Australia's top Country Music Artists such
as:
Tex Morton, Johnny Ashcroft, Slim Dusty, Lionel Long, Buddy Williams, Gordon Parsons and
Smoky Dawson.
These sessions required Kevin to play rhythm and acoustic guitar, harmonica and dobro steel
guitar. During this era Kevin also resumed his personal recording career with Columbia and cut
two E.P Records which were mainly cover versions of American Songs.
After leaving the Transport Club Kevin worked solo for several years doing club work in the Sydney
area.
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| In 1987 it was time for Kevin to leave Sydney and retire to the Queensland Sunshine Coast, with
wife Patricia, daughters Sharon and Vickie, their husbands and his 5 grandchildren.
Highlight of Kevin's career have been:-
a)The 2 years of touring with the Reg Lindsay Show
b)Meeting and becoming mates with Tex Morton
c)The signing of his first contract
d)Touring New Guinea with The Slim Dusty Show
e)Visiting Nashville and meeting Hank Williams band, Ernest Tubb, guitarist "Billy Bird",
Mack Wiseman, Roger Miller, Mary Reeves (wife of the late Jim Reeves), Bill Munro's Band and
many others.
Kevin's hand print can be found in the "Hands of Fame" at Tamworth.
Kevin looks back in fondness to his many productive years in the Country Music Industry, of
the vast country side he has travelled and the many geniune life long friends made along that
very long road and will be eternally grateful to have been given that opportunity.
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