Biography
Bringing seasoned maturity and deep passion to both his guitar work and vocals, Marcus King has built a following on the blues and jam band circuits with his robust fusion of soul, blues, rock, and jazz. His first release, Soul Insight in 2015, found King and his group delivering a forceful, guitar-driven sound steeped in blues and Southern soul, whereas The Marcus King Band from 2016 ventured into broader territory, its livelier tracks uncovering a softer side shaped by gospel and folk influences. El Dorado marked his 2020 debut as a solo artist and shifted greater attention to his vocal abilities, while the harder-edged Young Blood of 2022 leaned heavily on blues-rooted classic rock from the 1970s. With producer Rick Rubin at the helm, King looked inward on the restrained and introspective Mood Swings, issued in 2024.
Born March 11, 1996, in Greenville, South Carolina, Marcus King grew up with a father, Marvin King, who had earned recognition as a local blues guitarist and also performed with gospel ensembles; his grandfather likewise enjoyed regional musical renown. King began handling a guitar almost as soon as he could walk, and by age eight he was already joining his father onstage. During his teenage years he formed his own band and balanced late-night club performances with daytime classes, as the group crisscrossed the region with what they termed “soul-influenced psychedelic Southern rock.” In 2015 the Marcus King Band—featuring King on guitar and lead vocals alongside Alex Abercrombie on keyboards and backing vocals, Anthony House on bass, and Jack Ryan on drums—issued its debut, Soul Insight. Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes heard the band, appreciated their sound, booked them as openers, and re-released Soul Insight on his Evil Teen Records imprint.
That endorsement helped spread awareness of King’s music, leading to a contract with the established independent Fantasy Records. Lineup adjustments followed, with Abercrombie and House departing while King and Ryan added Stephen Campbell on bass, Matt Jennings on keyboards, Dean Mitchell on sax, and Justin Johnson on trumpet and trombone. The revised Marcus King Band tracked their next album at Carriage House Studios in Stamford, Connecticut, under Haynes’s production, capturing most of the material live in the room. Fantasy issued The Marcus King Band in October 2016, after which the group maintained a heavy touring pace. Carolina Confessions, their third album, appeared in 2018 and peaked at number two on the blues albums chart. King developed a friendship with Black Keys co-founder Dan Auerbach, and the pair collaborated on King’s initial solo project. Auerbach produced 2020’s El Dorado, cut in Nashville with veteran Music City session musicians, as King placed fresh emphasis on his expressive singing in addition to his fluid guitar playing.
Nominated for a Grammy in the Best Americana Album category, El Dorado drew strong critical praise, and King sustained his demanding road schedule by supporting Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathaniel Rateliff while also appearing at festivals and headlining his own dates. Respected producer Rick Rubin brought King to his American Recordings label, and the two returned to the studio with Auerbach again producing. Young Blood, released in 2022, emerged as a lean, energetic collection rooted in 1970s classic rock; King recorded the sessions with bassist Nick Movshon, known for his work with the Menahan Street Band and Lee Fields & the Expressions, and drummer Chris St. Hilaire, formerly of the London Souls, as a nod to the era’s classic power trios. The album reached number three on Billboard’s Top Heatseekers chart, and King closed the year with two singles, including a horn-driven cover of Gnarls Barkley’s hit “Crazy.”
King’s first project with Rubin was the soul-focused Mood Swings, a 2024 album that highlighted his voice more than his guitar. Recorded at Rubin’s Shangri-La studio in Malibu, the record climbed to number 11 on the Heatseekers chart. Later that year King contributed the track “Sucker” to the animated Netflix series Arcane: League of Legends.
Born March 11, 1996, in Greenville, South Carolina, Marcus King grew up with a father, Marvin King, who had earned recognition as a local blues guitarist and also performed with gospel ensembles; his grandfather likewise enjoyed regional musical renown. King began handling a guitar almost as soon as he could walk, and by age eight he was already joining his father onstage. During his teenage years he formed his own band and balanced late-night club performances with daytime classes, as the group crisscrossed the region with what they termed “soul-influenced psychedelic Southern rock.” In 2015 the Marcus King Band—featuring King on guitar and lead vocals alongside Alex Abercrombie on keyboards and backing vocals, Anthony House on bass, and Jack Ryan on drums—issued its debut, Soul Insight. Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes heard the band, appreciated their sound, booked them as openers, and re-released Soul Insight on his Evil Teen Records imprint.
That endorsement helped spread awareness of King’s music, leading to a contract with the established independent Fantasy Records. Lineup adjustments followed, with Abercrombie and House departing while King and Ryan added Stephen Campbell on bass, Matt Jennings on keyboards, Dean Mitchell on sax, and Justin Johnson on trumpet and trombone. The revised Marcus King Band tracked their next album at Carriage House Studios in Stamford, Connecticut, under Haynes’s production, capturing most of the material live in the room. Fantasy issued The Marcus King Band in October 2016, after which the group maintained a heavy touring pace. Carolina Confessions, their third album, appeared in 2018 and peaked at number two on the blues albums chart. King developed a friendship with Black Keys co-founder Dan Auerbach, and the pair collaborated on King’s initial solo project. Auerbach produced 2020’s El Dorado, cut in Nashville with veteran Music City session musicians, as King placed fresh emphasis on his expressive singing in addition to his fluid guitar playing.
Nominated for a Grammy in the Best Americana Album category, El Dorado drew strong critical praise, and King sustained his demanding road schedule by supporting Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathaniel Rateliff while also appearing at festivals and headlining his own dates. Respected producer Rick Rubin brought King to his American Recordings label, and the two returned to the studio with Auerbach again producing. Young Blood, released in 2022, emerged as a lean, energetic collection rooted in 1970s classic rock; King recorded the sessions with bassist Nick Movshon, known for his work with the Menahan Street Band and Lee Fields & the Expressions, and drummer Chris St. Hilaire, formerly of the London Souls, as a nod to the era’s classic power trios. The album reached number three on Billboard’s Top Heatseekers chart, and King closed the year with two singles, including a horn-driven cover of Gnarls Barkley’s hit “Crazy.”
King’s first project with Rubin was the soul-focused Mood Swings, a 2024 album that highlighted his voice more than his guitar. Recorded at Rubin’s Shangri-La studio in Malibu, the record climbed to number 11 on the Heatseekers chart. Later that year King contributed the track “Sucker” to the animated Netflix series Arcane: League of Legends.
Albums
Singles
Live From The Bluebird Cafe
2024
Blues Worse Than I Ever Had
2022
Blood on the Tracks
2022
Lie Lie Lie
2022
Rescue Me
2022
Hard Working Man
2022
Beautiful Stranger
2020
One Day She’s Here
2019
Say You Will
2019
Wildflowers & Wine
2019
The Well
2019
Live
