THE FAMILY IS BACK!

Take the Fabulous King Sisters whose hit recordings include the groundbreaking Grammy-nominated Imagination, add legendary guitar virtuoso Alvino Rey and his own invention -- the talking steel guitar -- sci-fi icon Robert Clarke, and throw in the swinging King Cousins including 60's sweetheart and My Three Sons star Tina Cole not to mention the King Kids and their extended musical family of aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters and you've got one of the most celebrated and prolific TV families of all time -- The King Family.

In celebration of the 45th anniversary of their television debut, we're proud to welcome you to the all new and official King Family website.  The Family is indeed back and 2009 will bring a host of new projects which you'll read about here including a new public television musical special this holiday season with the best musical moments from their classic Christmas shows, the first-ever release of the Family's classic albums on CD, a cookbook and much more.

So explore the sights and sounds of "America's first family of song" through the music and videos you'll find here.  There's more to come so check back often.  You're part of the family now.

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Current story -

"Fabulous King Family Teens" from 'TEEN MAGAZINE September 1965:

The story of the teen stars of the King Family’s Top Twenty is unique.  They are sons and daughters of famous show people, and were born with talents that have been developing over the years – fantastically so in the past few months.  The rest of the story takes more telling, so let’s meet the group, starting with Xan, the girl on the cover.

 

It was inevitable, of course, that her name would be shortened from Xandra to Xan, because small fry, and there are several in the family, have trouble with names.  Anyhow, the girl with red hair and green eyes, turning fourteen on September 10, is the only one of the sensational seven who is not a native Californian.  She was born in Bronxville, New York, daughter of Donna (one of the original singing King Sisters) and James Conkling, a semi-retired recording company executive.

 

Xan, a student at Van Nuys Junior High School prior to the show’s going fulltime, attends studio school with her cousins right at the theatre, alternating study time with rehearsal schedules.  She likes the color orange, everything fattening in food, and Cary Grant, Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews and Audrey Hepburn.

Jamie Conkling, blue-eyed with reddish blonde hair, will be eighteen on September 4.  She is 5-4 1/2, likes Polynesian food, the color yellow, and modern dancing.  Paul Newman and Bette Davis rate high with her in the acting field.

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We're proud to announce that the King Family's new holiday special Christmas with the King Family is coming to a PBS station near you beginning Nov. 27, 2009 (check your local listings.)


This singin', swingin' retro holiday delight is a song filled celebration of The King Family's classic Christmas television specials; the ultimate collection of seasonal performances by The King Sisters, Alvino Rey, Tina Cole & The King Cousins, along with Cam Clarke & The King Kids and all the aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters that make up "America's First Family of Song."

All new interviews with King Sisters Yvonne and Marilyn King, The King Cousins including Tina, Cathy, Ric, Candy, Jamie and Xan along with original King Kids Cam, Laurette and Susannah illuminate the behind-the-scenes stories of the makings of these holiday TV classics.