Bob King born 6 January 1934

Bob King (January 6, 1934 - January 20, 1989) was a country singer, guitarist and songwriter, who was one of Canada's first country stars to earn recognition beyond national borders. 

Robert George King was born in Ottawa, Canada on January 6, 1934. His mother, Katie Brown King emigrated from the United Kingdom to Canada during the First World War. Bob's father, a native Canadian named Roy King, abandoned his wife and son and moved to the U.S. when Bob was only three years old. Bob's mother soon remarried and they moved to a farm in the Joyceville area, outside Kingston, Ontario where Bob spent most of his childhood years. The family later moved north to nearby Ottawa after a fire destroyed their home. 

He got his first guitar from his mother when he was seven years old and quickly developed a love of country music, most notably the work of Hank Williams. His other idols included Canadian country stars Hank Snow and Wilf Carter (aka Montana Slim). With the support of his stepfather, Bob mastered the guitar during his teenage years and formed a trio with two friends—soon dubbed the “Country Cousins.” The group quickly made a name for themselves by winning a series of amateur contests throughout the Ottawa Valley. At just 16, King decided to pursue a full-time career in country music. His solo talent quickly shone through, and in one memorable competition, he bested a young Paul Anka for first place. 

                                   

Ottawa DJ “Long John” Corrigan helped arrange Bob's first big break—a guest spot with Mac Beattie and the legendary Ottawa Valley Melodiers. Then, in 1954, King released his debut single “Laurel Lee,” which sold over 40,000 copies—an extraordinary feat for a Canadian country artist at the time. 

The single’s success caught the attention of American country stars Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, who invited him to join their Clinch Mountain Clan. Bob became a featured performer on their daily West Virginia radio broadcasts, where he also toured with artists like Doc Williams and Hawkshaw Hawkins. A highlight of this period was sharing the stage with Elvis Presley during a show in Norfolk, Virginia. 

Upon returning to Canada, Bob toured briefly with Canadian country pioneer Wilf Carter before settling back in Ottawa. At the invitation of Ken Reynolds, he became a founding member of the CFRA Happy Wanderers, alongside “Papa” Joe Brown and virtuoso fiddler Ward Allen. From 1957 to 1965, the Happy Wanderers became a fixture of Ottawa radio and television, performing on thousands of live radio shows and 59 nationally broadcast television episodes. Bob’s warmth and charisma earned him the affectionate nickname “Mr. Sunshine.” 

Bob and Marie

Bob King’s recording career blossomed in the 1960s and 1970s. Moving from RCA Victor to Rodeo Records, he released over 40 singles and 13 full-length albums. His 1965 single “Texas Leather and Mexican Lace” reached No. 1 on the Canadian charts and remains one of his best-known recordings. Germany’s Bear Family Records later recognized King’s importance with a series of retrospective compilations, including Rockin' the Jukebox (2013), which celebrated his contributions to early Canadian rockabilly and country music. 

Beyond his own career, Bob King was instrumental in launching and nurturing the musical career of his wife, Marie King (née Farley). As her manager and producer, he oversaw the recording and promotion of her breakout single “The French Song,” which sold over 50,000 copies. He produced Marie’s first ten albums, including the gold-certified Allo Mon P’tit Bobby, and was central to the development of her career in both English and French-language markets. 

Bob also encouraged the musical paths of his children, supporting them in their creative endeavors. In the later years of his career, he toured extensively as road manager and featured singer with the Marie King Road Show, bringing country music to communities across Canada. . He was inducted into the Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame in 1984, in recognition of a lifetime of contributions to the country music landscape. 

Bob King passed away on January 20, 1989, in Ottawa, following a short battle with lung cancer A gifted performer, compassionate mentor, and true pioneer of Canadian country, Bob King’s legacy endures in the music he left behind and in the generations of artists he inspired. 

(Edited from Citizen Freak & Bear Family notes)