The King Sisters

One of the big band era's most popular and enduring vocal groups, the King Sisters -- Donna, Yvonne, Luise and Alyce -- were born and raised in Salt Lake City, UT. Taking their stage name from their father, vocal trainer Daddy King Driggs, the siblings initially teamed with their mother and a family friend as the Six King Sisters, first attracting attention while appearing with the Horace Heidt Band in 1935 and enjoying a three-year tenure on Heidt's radio series. The group's lineup shrank to a quartet as the decade wore on, and in 1939 -- following a stint with Al Pearce -- the King Sisters joined a new band formed by Luise's husband, the legendary guitarist Alvino Rey. In addition to appearing on Rey's hits "Nighty Night" and "I Said No," the sisters also scored a series of smashes issued under their own name, among them "The Hut Sut Song," "I Understand," "I'll Get By" and "In the Mood."

At the peak of their success, the King Sisters also appeared in a number of Hollywood features, including 1942's Sing Your Worries Away, 1944's Meet the People and 1945's Cuban Pete. By this time they were no longer working with Rey, who had dissolved his band upon entering the armed forces; throughout 1944 the siblings were regulars on Kay Kyser's radio series, but during the postwar years their popularity declined, and throughout the 1950s they were well outside the public eye. In 1965, however, the King Sisters -- as well as members of their extended family, including Rey -- were tapped by the ABC television network to host their own weekly variety show; it was an immediate hit, although the death of featured performer Daddy King Driggs just a few weeks into the program's run made their success bittersweet. The King Family Show continued its run until 1969, with the sisters easing into retirement during the decade to follow.

Discography

It's Love, Love, Love

In The Mood
Irish Washerwoman
Sometimes I'm Happy
The Hot Gavotte
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
Miss Otis Regrets
Whatcha Know, Joe?
I Understand
The Hut-Sut Song
The Music Makers
Rose O'Day
Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing In A Hurry
'Tis Autumn
Music 'Til Dawn
Jersey Bounce
My Devotion
I Came Here To Talk For Joe
It's Love, Love, Love!
Milkman, Keep Those Bottle Quiet
The Trolley Song
Candy
Saturday Night Is the Loneliest Night of the Week
Stone Cold Dead In The Market
The Coffee Song
Some Days There Just Ain't No Fish
Happy Feet
Walk It On Down
I'll Get By

One of the most overlooked of the many sister acts of the Swing Era, The King Sisters, were born and raised in Salt Lake City with the last name Driggs. They took their stage name from that of their father and vocal coach, Daddy King Driggs. Though they started recording in the 30s and continued until the late 50s, these 28 songs are from their golden decade, the 1940s, particularly the war years, 1941-45. All songs are orchestrally accompanied, with the focus, of course on the bright, sweet vocals. We have the well-known hits, "In The Mood," "Sometimes I'm Happy," "Jersey Bounce," "The Trolley Song," "The Coffee Song" and "I'll Get By;" and then we have lesser-known, somewhat silly but nonetheless wonderful tunes like "The Hot Gavotte," "Six Lessons from Madame La Zonga," "The Hut -Sut Song," "Rose O'Day" (The Filla-Da-Gusha Song), "Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing in a Hurry" and "Some Days There Just Ain't No Fish." "It's Love" is a generous, clean-sounding "best-of" collection from one of our favorite Swing Era sister quartets!

Listen to "Saturday Night Is the Loneliest Night of the Week" in Real Audio.

4637 CD $14.98

In The Mood

Button Up Your Overcoat
Moonglow
Kalamazoo
Oh How I Miss You Tonight
Strip Poker
Heavenly Hideaway
Music 'til Dawn
Irish Washerwoman
Zing Went The Strings of My Heart
Take Me In Your Arms
Slap Slap
Sweetheart Of All My Dreams
In The Mood
Cielito Lindo
Back In Your Own Back Yard
The Air Army Corps
'Tis Autumn
Arthur Murry Taught Me Dancing In A Hurry
Ac-centuate The Positive
Happy Feet
I Came Here To Talk For Joe
Jersey Bounce
Some Days There Just Ain't No Fish
Music Makers
When My Dreamboat Comes Home

Alyce, Donna, Luise and Yvonne Driggs began their career as the King Sisters in 1935, became one of the most popular vocal groups in the big band era, and didn't retire until the end of "The King Family Show" in 1969. The cool thing about "In the Mood" is that out of 25 (big band accompanied) songs, almost none are on other King Sisters CDs we carry. There's a number of classics, including "Button Up Your Overcoat," "Moonglow," "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart," "In the Mood," "Kalama-zoo," "Jersey Bounce," "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive" and "Cielito Lindo," which was a hit for them. We loved the less well-known numbers: "I Came Here to Talk for Joe," "Happy Feet," the witty "Strip Polka," "Some Days There Just Ain't No Fish," "Slap-Slap," "Music 'Til Dawn," and "Irish Washerwoman." What timing, what harmony‚every cut is an imaginative, rhythmic little gem!
4478 CD $15.98


Queens Of Song

Memories of You
It's Easy to Remember
When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano
I May Be Wrong
Pagan Love Song
Miss Otis Regrets
I Don't Know Why
Cielito Linda
Basin Street Blues
The Day You Came Along
An Old Guitar and an Old Refrain
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Why Should I Cry Over You
You Made Me Love You
St. Louis Blues
I've Had My Moments
Stars Fell On Alabama
East of the Sun
By the River Sainte Marie
All Of Me
Love is the Thing
Don't Worry 'Bout Me
Stomping at The Savoy

The lovely King Sisters, hailing from Utah, were six in number, though the group usually featured four at a time, allowing for flexibility as family commitments encroached. Having been influenced by the Boswell Sisters, they sought fame and fortune in the early thirties, and began singing with bandleader Horace Heidt. Their success continued into the forties and fifties, as contemporaries of the Andrews and McGuire Sisters, and even into the 1960's, when they had their own television program, "The King Family Show." With their orchestra, conducted by Frank DeVol, the girls produced a slew of close harmony classics, from the wistful ballad, as in "The Day You Came Along" and "I Don't Know Why," to the cheerful "Cielito Linda," "You Made Me Love You" and "Pagan Love Song"; and who could forget "When The Swallows Came Back To Capistrano"? What a trip down memory lane!

Listen to " You Made Me Love You" in Real Audio.

5521 CD $14.98

For You

For You
Just Squeeze Me
When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano
What's The Use? (Instrumental)
Sophisticated Lady
Everybody Loves My Baby
Star Dust
Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
At Sundown
When My Dreamboat Comes Home
Crazy Rhythm (Instrumental)
Miss Otis Regrets
Red Sails In The Sunset
The Man I Love

A budget priced collection of some of their hits.
5524 CD $9.95


Four King Cousins: Introducing...

This Girl's In Love
It's All In The Game
Walk On By
California Nights
Let's Get Away From It All
I Wanna Be Free
Good Day Sunshine
God Only Knows
Love So Fine
Here, There and Everywhere
I Fell

From the original 1969 Capitol Records bio, we learn that The Four King Cousins are daughters of the famous King Sisters and members of the equally famous King Family. The four young women, all pretty blondes in their early 20s, first appeared on TV on John Davidson's "Kraft Summer Music Hall." Then they were signed to a Capitol recording contract, appeared on top shows like Jonathan Winters and Johnny Carson, and in concert with Buddy Rich, Buddy Greco and Stan Getz. "Introducing" is their debut album, 11 heavily-accompanied pop covers, including a pair by Bert Bacharach, "This Girl's In Love With You" and "Walk On By," a pair by Lennon/McCartney, "Good Day Sunshine" and "Here, There and Everywhere;" Brian Wilson's "God Only Knows," pop hits "Califonia Nights," "It's All In The Game," "I Wanna Be Free" "Love So Fine and others. Innocent, schmaltzy, nostalgic, top-40 fun from the late 60s!

7492 CD $14.98


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