Al King
Smith (August 8, 1923 – January 21, 1999), who performed and recorded as Al King, was an American blues singer and songwriter. King was born in Monroe, Louisiana. After moving to Los Angeles he recorded for the Shirley and Sahara labels in the 1950s and 1960s, and had a number 36 US Billboard R&B chart hit in 1966 with "Think Twice Before You Speak".
Al King
- Name
- Al King
- Birth Name
- Alvin K.
- Born
- August 8, 1923
- Birthplace
- Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.
- Died
- January 21, 1999 (aged 75)
- Place of death
- Oakland, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Singer, Songwriter
- Nationality
- United States
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wikidata · Q16014419 · wikipedia · Al King
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Biography
Biography
Many of his records featured guitarist and bandleader Johnny Heartsman. He also wrote songs under his real name, Smith, as in "On My Way", the B-side of his first single covering "Reconsider Baby" in 1964. King died in Oakland, California in January 1999 at the age of 75.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Al King • Birth Name — Alvin K. Smith • Born — August 8, 1923 • Birthplace — Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. • Died — January 21, 1999 (aged 75) • Place of death — Oakland, California, U.S. • Genre — Blues • Occupation — Singer, Songwriter • Years Active — 1950s–1990s • Label — Shirley, Sahara
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Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Al King, revision 1283796181 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 September 2026.
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