Name The Sisters Active from 1931 | Role Band | |
![]() | ||
Associated acts King Family, Alvino Rey, Four King Cousins, Buddy Cole, Charlie Barnet, Frank DeVol, Horace Heidt, Arcade Fire, Billy May and Artie Shaw Website www.officialkingfamily.com Past members Alyce KingDonna KingLuise KingMarilyn KingMaxine KingYvonne King Members Alyce King, Luise King, Donna King, Marilyn King, Yvonne King Burch, Maxine King Albums Warm and Wonderful, Queens of Song Similar Alvino Rey, Four King Cousins, Horace Heidt, Frank De Vol, Buddy Cole |
The king sisters sing yesterday 1966 the king family
The King Sisters were an American big band-era vocal group consisting of six sisters: Alyce, Donna, Luise, Marilyn, Maxine, and Yvonne King.
Contents
- The king sisters sing yesterday 1966 the king family
- Alvino ray and his orchestra with the king sisters java jive i love coffee i love tea
- History
- Deaths
- Songs
- References
Alvino ray and his orchestra with the king sisters java jive i love coffee i love tea
History

Born and raised in Pleasant Grove, Utah, about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City, the King Sisters originally were part of the "Driggs Family of Entertainers". Their first professional job was with a Salt Lake City radio station, from which they graduated to a station in Oakland, California. In the early 1930s sisters Luise, Maxine and Alyce formed a vocal trio along the lines of their idols, the Boswell Sisters, and traveled to San Francisco to audition for radio station KGO (to replace the Boswell Sisters themselves, who were leaving the station)." After this, Maxine retired to home life in Oakland and sisters Donna and Yvonne were added to the roster.
In 1935, the King Sisters accepted a job with bandleader Horace Heidt. Gradually, relations between the King Sisters and Heidt deteriorated to the point where they left the band. In the following years, they separately and together sang with the bands of Artie Shaw's Old Gold program and Charlie Barnet and Al Pearce series. They turned down a request to be the vocal group for the Glenn Miller Orchestra. They recorded for Bluebird Records, a sub-label of RCA Victor Records and the same label as Miller, and also had their first hit with a vocal version of Miller's hit, "In The Mood".

In 1937, Luise married guitarist Alvino Rey. At the peak of the sisters' success, they appeared in a number of 1940's Hollywood films. During World War II, they appeared regularly on Kay Kyser's radio series. In 1965, they began hosting their own ABC television-network series, The King Family Show, which featured family members including Alyce's husband, actor Robert Clarke, and her sons, Ric and Lex de Azevedo, and Cam Clarke, as well as other talent. The show ran from 1965-1966, with a 1969 revival.

A second generation of the King Family, the Four King Cousins, continues to carry on the musical tradition. More prominently, Luise's grandsons Win and William Butler are also musicians, being part of the noted Montreal-based indie rock/baroque pop Arcade Fire.
Deaths
Alyce King Clarke died on August 23, 1996, from respiratory problems, aged 81. Luise King Rey died on August 4, 1997, aged 83, from cancer, the year of her 60th wedding anniversary to Alvino Rey. Donna King Conkling died on June 16, 2007, aged 88, in Plano, Texas. Maxine King Thomas died on May 13, 2009, aged 97 in Corona, California.Yvonne "Vonnie" King Burch died on December 13, 2009, aged 89, after suffering a fall at her home in Santa Barbara, California. Marilyn King died on August 7, 2013, aged 82, from cancer, also in California; she was the last surviving sister.
Songs
Hawaiian Farewell Song
Love At Home
Java Jive
Memories of You
Strip Polka
If I Could Only Play a Concertina
A Rose and a Prayer
My Sister and I
Whatcha Know Joe
Some Days There Just Ain't No Fish
Love Me - Love Me - Love Me
'Tis Autumn
In Hamburg
Nina Never Knew
B-I Bi
Laura - Broadcast
I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody
Frankie And Johnnie
Irish Washerwoman
Candy
Stone Cold Dead in the Market
Lullaby in Rhythm
Isle of Capri
Ruby
Impossible
Sometimes I'm Happy
Who Would Remember
Holiday Of Love
The Music Makers
My Blue Heaven
Kille Kille
I'm Old Fashioned