Musical Biography & Personal History

 Marilyn King is the baby sister of a show biz dynasty-"The King Family", which was actually created by her father, William King Driggs.  As a professor of music from a small Utah town, he had great ambitions to become an opera star, musical composer, and entrepreneur.  His great life of many artistic sucesses began in a small Colorado town where he met his blue-eyed Danish bride who sang and played the cello.  Together they created a family of 2 boys and 6 girls with Marilyn as the youngest.  Before her birth, "King" taught all of his children to sing and play musical instruments.  He combined the family into a VaudeVille act which toured concerts all over the Midwest when he wasn't teaching school.  The older King Sisters were welcomed into the glamorous world of Radio, Records, Ballrooms, and Big Bands.
 All of the 5 older sisters got their start with the Horace Heidt Orchestra in San Francisco where Alvino Rey (inventor of the steel guitar) was also playing.  Alvino and sister Luise were soon married and off to Hollywod and New York.  The King Sisters with Alvino Rey's Orchestra were finally on their way to a long lovely career in Entertainment.
 Meanwhile, Marilyn was the baby girl at home with her older brother, Billy  She listened to her sisters hit records and radio with much envy.  Daddy "King" had earnest visions of Marilyn as a classical artist with his devoted teachings of piano and singing operas.  At the same time, brother Billy was teaching her Boogie Woogie piano and buying her records of Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Mae Morse, June Christy, Stan Kenton, and Woody Herman.  Dad was not fond of that, but Marilyn found little conflict because she loved to sing anything!  She already knew that she would grow up to be a singer.  She finally got her chance at age 9.
 As each of her sisters married and became mothers, Marilyn would substitute for them.  When sister Donna gave birth to a fifth child, Marilyn became the permanent replacement.
 Through all of the sisters events, Marilyn maintained a serious desire for her own solo career.  In between concert shows with The King Sisters and The King Family, she sang with many Big Bands including Alvino Rey, Les Brown, Ray Anthony, Freddy Martin, and Bill Tole.  Her own TV show with Alvino Rey won an Emmy Award.  She studied acting for 12 years with Lee Strasberg, Harvey Lembeck, and Jeff Corey.  She pursued her songwriting, commercials, concerts, television, cruise tours, and co-hosting major charities.  She developed a flair for comedy which utilized her studies into impressions of many great stars.  Notably, she was the comedianne of all the King Family network television shows and specials, guest spots on the TV series "M.A.S.H.", voice tracks in the movies  "Sound of Music", "Tom Sawyer", "Gypsy", and many appearances on The Tonight Show with Steve Allen and Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, and Mike Douglas Show.
 Since the King Sisters retirement in 1986, Marilyn has been the only one continuing in major concerts, Television, LA and NY Jazz Clubs, Casinos, Palm Springs and Las Vegas Strips, and Sea Cruise Tours.  She recently finished a 3 month U.S. tour of major theatres, concert halls arenas, and opera houses with The Harry James Orchestra.
 With respect to Opera, Daddy "King" finally realized his wish for his youngest daughter.  He didn't make it to Broadway, but Marilyn did as the Lead Role in "Hello Dolly" and "Guys & Dolls".  Those became her peak realization as an accomplished solo artist.
 This album "Solo Flight" is a unique compilation of recent musical events with major musical talents in very eclectic settings featuring Marilyn King as solo vocalist