The Four King Cousins

The Four King Cousins are a dynamic multifaceted vocal group who’s dazzling four-part harmonies catapulted them to fame as acclaimed recording and concert artists, and popular performers on television; where they shared the stage with a star-studded list of entertainers including Ella Fitzgerald, Jonathan Winters, Ray Charles, Don Rickles and Phyllis Diller. Born into a show business family, the cousins are daughters of the groundbreaking Grammy-nominated recording artists and entertainers The King Sisters. They made their individual professional television debuts, along with their talented mothers, as part of the extended family of musical performers known as The King Family. One of the top performing acts of the 1960’s and 1970’s, The King Family starred in two of their own network musical variety television series, in addition to 17 popular King Family syndicated television specials which aired to blockbuster ratings for over a decade. Following the successful run of The King Family’s initial ABC series - sisters Tina & Cathy Cole, along with their cousins Carolyn Thomas, and Candy & Jamie Conkling, joined the cast of NBC’s popular “Kraft Summer Music Hall” during the summer of 1966. The group, then billed as The Five King Cousins, were featured in the show’s youthful ensemble of performers which included host John Davidson, and comedians Richard Pryor, Flip Wilson and George Carlin. Overwhelming popular response to the series lead to a nationwide concert tour with John Davidson and George Carlin. Just prior to that tour, Cousin Jamie decided to pursue her education at BYU, and thus the group officially became The Four King Cousins. Establishing themselves as popular vocalists, they appeared on the top musical variety and talk shows of the day including, “The Hollywood Palace”, "Operation: Entertainment", where they entertained the troops at military bases around the country, "The Don Knotts Show", "Della" (the Della Reese Show), "The Barbara McNair Show", "The Joey Bishop Show,” “The Mike Douglas Show,” and became regular guest-star performers on “The Jonathan Winters Show.” They also made a series of appearances on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” where they joined the ‘Mighty Carson Art Players’ in classic comedy sketches, including a memorable surprise appearance with film legend John Wayne. The group also headlined the King Family’s second ABC television variety series, becoming star performers on “The King Family Show” during the 1969 season. Signed to Capitol Records, they released their debut album titled “Introducing the Four King Cousins” which was produced, arranged and conducted by their cousin, Golden Globe nominee Lex de Azevedo, in 1968. The LP highlighted the group’s signature four-part vocal style in definitive performances of the works of some of the top contemporary songwriters of the era including Paul Williams, Roger Nichols, Randy Newman, and Marvin Hamlisch. Upon its initial CD release in 2006, a new generation of fans discovered the album, deeming it a “sunshine pop masterpiece,” while respected Indie-Music website Dusty Groove reviewed it as “a sublime blend of vocals and lightly snapping rhythms that's totally outta site!” Following their 1969 Las Vegas debut with Wayne Newton at the Frontier Hotel, the Four King Cousins presented their acclaimed, high-energy concert act at top nightclubs, performing arts centers and concert halls throughout the world for the next decade. Their busy schedule of concert appearances included engagements at the Hollywood Bowl, the Fairmont Hotel’s prestigious Venetian Room in Dallas and New Orleans, multiple appearances at the Playboy Resort in Lake Geneva, annual appearances at Walt Disney World’s Top of the World supper club, and Disneyland’s Tomorrowland Stage, as well as international appearances in Canada, Tahiti, France, and throughout Japan. In reviewing their show, the Columbus Citizen Journal heralded their performance as “hugely entertaining…a dynamite musical variety act,” and noted, “ The ‘Cousins’ virtually explode with excitement…an express train of entertainment,” while the Orlando Sentinel called their act “powerful,” and noted, “the King Cousins, four of the liveliest, loveliest and most entertaining young women to hit the area, harmonize beautifully.” Concurrent to her performances with The Four King Cousins, Tina Cole also established herself as a versatile and popular actress on television series’ including “Hawaiian Eye,” “Adam 12,” and most notably, starring as “Katie Douglas” (wife of Don Grady’s “Robbie”) for five seasons on the iconic and long-running series “My Three Sons.” Building upon their burgeoning international success, The Four King Cousins recorded a second album which was released by the Playboy/Trio Records label in 1976 specifically for the Japanese market. Titled “The Way We Were,” it featured an inspired mix of pop hits of the era including, Leon Russell’s “A Song For You,” Neil Sedaka’s “Solitaire,” and Marvin Hamlisch’s classic title track, alongside standards including “In the Mood” and "Bei Mir Bist Du Schön." It remains a stunning showcase for the ‘Cousins’ creative growth as musical artists. Throughout that decade, the group continued to make high-profile appearances on television. They joined the King Sisters and Diahann Carroll as guest stars on ABC’s “Christmas in New York,” vocalized with Dionne Warwick on ABC TV’s bicentennial spectacular, “The Great American Music Celebration,” appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show,” and later joined a stellar list of superstar television performers including Dick Clark, Fred MacMurray, Ron Howard, Barry Manilow and The Lennon Sisters on “ABC’s Silver Anniversary Celebration.” In 2009, following a break during which they each pursued their own personal projects, group members Tina, Cathy, and Candy appeared on the popular PBS television retrospective special, “Christmas with the King Family,” a musical celebration of the King Family’s classic holiday television specials. To coincide with the special, four ‘King Family’ albums made their CD debuts. The Four King Cousins beautiful jazz-vocal rendition of the Al Burt Christmas carol, “Some Children See Him,” was featured on the CD release “Christmas with the King Family.” They also contributed personal selections from their own family’s recipes to The King Family Cookbook, also released that year. Today, the Four King Cousins treasure the special memories they shared over the course of their enduring performing careers. New audiences continue to discover their music, and television appearances via the internet, and social media sites including You Tube and Facebook. Due to fan response, they are currently contemplating a CD release of some classic unreleased material, and a special return to the concert stage. The Official Facebook Page of musical artists The Four King Cousins