Ruth King

Hello, I am Ruth King. I write, sing, and perform original Acoustic Blues music accompanying myself on my guitar.

My whole life I’ve waited for the chance to be an old, black blues singer and this year, FINALLY, I turned 50. Not that 50 is all that “old” per se, but that – along with the beginning twinge of a gray streak in my hair – I’m becoming believable. It’s exciting to me that for the past 31 years I have been able to make my living as a singer/guitarist entertainer.  Most of my shows have been in my adopted home state of Florida although college and music festival tours take me all around the United States – and soon, I HOPE, the entire WORLD.

Thursday, December 24^th, 2009 marks the CD release date of my all-original 4^th CD, “Ain’t Gonna Feel Bad About It”.  My music is responsible for bringing a lot of opportunities to me such as radio airplay, CD sales, my international fan base, music publishing, many live performances (which is my PASSION!), the formation of the Ruth King BAND, and my becoming a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences – N.A.R.A.S. (the Grammy Award show folks).

My favorite Central Florida performing venue is The House Of Blues in Downtown Disney. For 9 years and counting the great folks at the House of Blues have featured me on a weekly basis in one capacity or another. Every 2^nd weekend of 2010 The Ruth King BAND performs inside the HOB Blues Kitchen Restaurant for audiences of 300+ nightly. As a solo singer/guitarist I entertain the outside “HOB Front Porch” listening audience that additionally reaches to the Downtown Disney crowds. Occasionally I am honored to sing inside the HOB main performance hall for audiences of 2000 people as opening act for major concerts. This always seems scary and turns out to be a lot of fun!

My home is in Mt. Dora, Florida. I was born in Alexandria, Virginia and raised in upstate New York, Plattsburgh. My personal story is colorful – sad and scary with a happy ending – beginning with being black and having been born to a mom who is white and was living with her racist parents in the South while it was illegal for the white and “negro” races to mix, let alone bear children. Next, my mother and I survived being on the 5^th-story burning hotel window ledge when I was 4. She jumped out the window without a hope and somehow her hand met a ladder extended that would not reach up to our floor. Once she did and began climbing down the ladder, I slipped falling through the air to be caught by a fire-fighter on the ground. She also fell and was rescued from atop the lobby roof moments before the entire building collapsed into itself in flames before burning to the ground (St. Regis Hotel Fire, 1964).

They say music is spirit and can bring good gifts to life. I am a true believer. The first portion of my adult life was marked by substance addiction and subsequent drama and vulnerabilities. A survivor of childhood abuse, violence and neglect, I found myself quite lost when the results of drugs and alcohol dependency were added to the picture. Gratefully, I had music to keep me alive until recovery would find me and take a-hold. My music gathered my audience members to me. I have fan/friends who have been following and supportive of me for all of my 31 professional years. My 15 years of being clean and sober have been my best performing and songwriting years. I find myself surrounded by greatness in my personal and professional life and living a life I love!

I hope you like the music I make and that it inspires you.  Additionally, if you are co-envisioned with me to help share my music with others – Join my team!

Welcome. Thank you.

Ruth