One of Cleveland’s key rock and roll pioneers, Tom King, died Saturday at the age of 68 in Wickliffe.
Tom King & the Starfires were one of a number of primarily instrumental combos that formed in the area in the late ’50s and early ’60s, and dominated the local club scene with their superlative chops. But they became better known as the Outsiders after signing a deal with Capitol Records in 1965 and changing their name to sound more contemporary in the post-British Invasion music scene. The Outsiders had a top 5 hit with “Time Won’t Let Me” in early 1966, a song co-written by King, and went on to release four albums for Capitol in less than three years.
This article appears in Apr 20-26, 2011.
thank you Anastasia, my father always had king words for you Kevin King
Thank You Anastasia, my father always had kind words for you Kevin King
My condolences to his family. I didn’t know him, but I knew his music.
i am friends with his grandson, and he is an awesome musician! the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. the legacy shall live on.
In 1961 Tom taught me how to play guitar in the basement recreation room in the house on Osborne. Tom always had a lot of energy and impressed me as someone special.
Larry Boros
hey to first post sorry to hear about your Father i and Scott Ingahm played with Dan awhile back do you know where and how he is??