Ed King
Encyclopedia
Edward C. King is an American
musician. He is best known as the guitarist for psychedelic rock
band Strawberry Alarm Clock
and Southern rock
band Lynyrd Skynyrd
.
King was one of the founding members of Strawberry Alarm Clock
, formed in Los Angeles
in the mid-1960s. The band's largest success was with a song that King co-wrote, "Incense and Peppermints
" (but, along with keyboardist Mark Weitz, did not get credit). The song reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
in October 1967. Their follow-up single, "Tomorrow", reached #23 in January 1968.
King met the members of Jacksonville, Florida
-based Southern rock
band Lynyrd Skynyrd
when the band opened up for Strawberry Alarm Clock
on a few shows in early 1968. It wasn't until 1972 that he joined Skynyrd, replacing Leon Wilkeson
on bass, who left the band briefly. Wilkeson rejoined the band, and King switched to guitar, creating the triple-guitar attack that became a signature sound for the band.
His guitar playing and songwriting skills were an essential element to the band's first three albums: Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd
, Second Helping
and Nuthin' Fancy
. King co-wrote the Skynyrd hit song "Sweet Home Alabama
" and it is his voice you can hear counting off the tune before launching into his famous Stratocaster riff. Other songs that King wrote or co-wrote the music for include "Poison Whiskey", "Saturday Night Special", "Mr. Banker", "Swamp Music", "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller", "Railroad Song", "I Need You", and "Workin' For MCA".
King decided to leave the band in 1975 during the 'Torture Tour'. He was replaced in 1976 by Steve Gaines
, who was killed in a plane crash along with singer Ronnie Van Zant
on October 20, 1977. Coincidentally, Gaines and King share the same birthdate.
King was one of the guitarists for the reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987, and played a major role in the reunited band. He was forced to leave Lynyrd Skynyrd again in 1996 due to congestive heart failure. He left on the basis that he would rejoin once he regained his health, but the band did not allow him to rejoin.
King, along with all pre-crash members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in 2006. He now lives in Nashville, TN and is "quite happily retired".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician. He is best known as the guitarist for psychedelic rock
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
band Strawberry Alarm Clock
Strawberry Alarm Clock
Strawberry Alarm Clock is a psychedelic rock band from Los Angeles best known for their 1967 hit "Incense and Peppermints". The group took its name as an homage to the Beatles' psychedelic hit "Strawberry Fields Forever", reportedly, at the suggestion of their record company Uni Records.They are...
and Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
band Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
.
King was one of the founding members of Strawberry Alarm Clock
Strawberry Alarm Clock
Strawberry Alarm Clock is a psychedelic rock band from Los Angeles best known for their 1967 hit "Incense and Peppermints". The group took its name as an homage to the Beatles' psychedelic hit "Strawberry Fields Forever", reportedly, at the suggestion of their record company Uni Records.They are...
, formed in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in the mid-1960s. The band's largest success was with a song that King co-wrote, "Incense and Peppermints
Incense and Peppermints (song)
"Incense and Peppermints" is a song by the Los Angeles based psychedelic pop band Strawberry Alarm Clock. The song is officially credited as having been written by John S. Carter and Tim Gilbert, although it was based on an instrumental idea by band members Mark Weitz and Ed King...
" (but, along with keyboardist Mark Weitz, did not get credit). The song reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in October 1967. Their follow-up single, "Tomorrow", reached #23 in January 1968.
King met the members of Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
-based Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
band Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
when the band opened up for Strawberry Alarm Clock
Strawberry Alarm Clock
Strawberry Alarm Clock is a psychedelic rock band from Los Angeles best known for their 1967 hit "Incense and Peppermints". The group took its name as an homage to the Beatles' psychedelic hit "Strawberry Fields Forever", reportedly, at the suggestion of their record company Uni Records.They are...
on a few shows in early 1968. It wasn't until 1972 that he joined Skynyrd, replacing Leon Wilkeson
Leon Wilkeson
Leon Russell Wilkeson was the bassist of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1972 until his death in 2001.-Early life:...
on bass, who left the band briefly. Wilkeson rejoined the band, and King switched to guitar, creating the triple-guitar attack that became a signature sound for the band.
His guitar playing and songwriting skills were an essential element to the band's first three albums: Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd
Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd
is the debut album from Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 1973. Featured songs include "I Ain't the One", "Gimme Three Steps", "Simple Man", "Tuesday's Gone" and "Free Bird", the rock anthem that first brought the band national attention.Bassist Leon Wilkeson left the band during the album's early...
, Second Helping
Second Helping
Second Helping is a 1974 album by Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was the band's second album, and featured its biggest hit single, "Sweet Home Alabama", an answer song to Neil Young's "Alabama" and "Southern Man". The song reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in August 1974...
and Nuthin' Fancy
Nuthin' Fancy
Nuthin' Fancy is a 1975 album by Lynyrd Skynyrd, their third studio album, and their first to reach the Top 10, peaking at #9 on the US albums chart. It was certified Gold on 6/27/1975and Platinum on 7/21/1987 by the R.I.A.A.-Side one:...
. King co-wrote the Skynyrd hit song "Sweet Home Alabama
Sweet Home Alabama (song)
"Sweet Home Alabama" is a song by Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd that first appeared in 1974 on their second album, Second Helping.It reached #8 on the US charts in 1974, and was the band's second hit single.-Creation and recording:...
" and it is his voice you can hear counting off the tune before launching into his famous Stratocaster riff. Other songs that King wrote or co-wrote the music for include "Poison Whiskey", "Saturday Night Special", "Mr. Banker", "Swamp Music", "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller", "Railroad Song", "I Need You", and "Workin' For MCA".
King decided to leave the band in 1975 during the 'Torture Tour'. He was replaced in 1976 by Steve Gaines
Steve Gaines
Steven Earl Gaines was an American musician. He is most well known as a guitarist and songwriter for southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, and is the younger brother of Cassie Gaines, who was also a member of the band...
, who was killed in a plane crash along with singer Ronnie Van Zant
Ronnie Van Zant
Ronald Wayne "Ronnie" Van Zant was an American lead vocalist, primary lyricist, and a founding member of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd...
on October 20, 1977. Coincidentally, Gaines and King share the same birthdate.
King was one of the guitarists for the reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987, and played a major role in the reunited band. He was forced to leave Lynyrd Skynyrd again in 1996 due to congestive heart failure. He left on the basis that he would rejoin once he regained his health, but the band did not allow him to rejoin.
King, along with all pre-crash members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in 2006. He now lives in Nashville, TN and is "quite happily retired".