Who Is John King? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

This week our spotlight shines on John King, an incredible singer-songwriter in country music. King grew up in a little town in Northeast Georgia, where he honed his craft as a songwriter and fell in love with music.

“There isn’t a whole lot to do there,” began King. “It was pretty much sports or music as your entertainment options.” Although he was an athlete, the artist recalls always singing in church and loving music. “My mom bought me my first guitar, when I was ten or eleven and I learned some chords.”

Growing up, King was exposed to many genres of music. “My dad was a big classic rock, hard rock guy and my mom was a country fan and the singer-songwriter fan, so it was a good blend of both worlds,” adding later, “They both always inspired me to chase after that and become so much better.” King names artists like Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, Steve Earl, and The Allman Brothers as some early inspiration.

He continued to pursue music throughout his elementary and teen years. “I always loved music and was a lover of music first, and just a fan. I just started studying the way songs were written, the way chords worked, and the way melodies and lyrics made me feel.” King recalls seriously writing music in middle school, filling up pages and pages in his notebook. “I wrote 100s of songs when I was a kid.”

The Turning Point:

Eventually, King headed off to the University of Georgia, where he learned even more about the music industry. “I think it really clicked for me when I went off to college at the University of Georgia,” he shared. “I was taking some classes there in songwriting, I was a music business minor. […] That’s kind of where I discovered I needed to go to Nashville.”

After college, King made the move to Nashville, where he was quickly met with opportunity and a whole lot of talent.  “When I came here, I couldn’t believe the amount of talent,” shared the singer. “I was like I have to get way better, way faster,” he joked.

Since coming to Nashville, King has found his own artistry, while finding inspiration in the singer-songwriters of the world. “Those are the people I grew up heavily influenced by. You know the Eric Church’s, the Johnny Cash’s and all these people that were artists, but they were writers too.” His sound is now a fusion of all the genres he has grown to love, such as rock and country.

Today:

Flash forward to today, King just released his debut album, Always Gonna Be You. A dream come true, the record is the singer’s re-introduction to who he is as a human and as an artist. As someone who writes a lot of songs, the ten that made the cut were hand-selected and meticulously selected by the singer and his team.

“I remember that feeling of listening to album from top down, first song to last song. And for me, I wanted it to feel like that for my fans and I wanted it to flow and have a purpose and a message.” Later King added, “It really is an autobiographical record, my story. Starting in small town, Georgia, meeting my wife there in my hometown […] and now to our life with as a married couple with our baby girl. […] It really is the story of me.”

One of the songs that stands out on the brand new project is the lead single, “Try Saying Goodbye.” According to King, “That song was just one of those gifts. We knew what we wanted to say that day. It just kind of just poured out.” The song, though heartbreaking, is one that has resonated with fans from all walks of life.

“It really started the trajectory for this album,” began King. “It kind of made me like re-tune a little bit, about what I wanted to say. When I saw the way fans reacted to the song, I needed to make sure that every song that I put on this record is just full of truth and really speaks honestly.”

The record is definitely honest, vulnerable, and deep, all reasons why fans will continue to fall in love with King. There is so much more in store for the artist. Be on the lookout for more music and shows in the near future!

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