Kaki King
Kaki King (born Katherine Elizabeth King, August 24, 1979) is an American guitarist and composer. King is known for her percussive and jazz-tinged melodies, energetic live shows,[1] use of multiple tunings on acoustic and lap steel guitar,[2] and her diverse range in different genres.
Kaki King
Katherine Elizabeth King
August 24, 1979
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Musician, composer
Guitar, lap steel guitar, drums, piano, vocals, ukulele, dojo
2001–present
In February 2006, Rolling Stone released a list of "The New Guitar Gods", on which King was the sole woman and youngest artist (beating Derek Trucks in age by two months as the youngest on the list).[3][4] Her career includes six LP and two EP albums, as well as several scores for television and film. She worked alongside Eddie Vedder and Michael Brook contributing music for the soundtrack to Sean Penn's Into the Wild, for which the trio received nominations for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.[5]
Childhood and early life[edit]
King was born the first of two daughters. While still a small child, her father noticed her natural musical ability, and encouraged her interest in music. She was introduced to the guitar at the age of four and played for several years, but after taking up the drums a few years later, they became her primary instruments as an adolescent.
Convinced that her break in music would come from drumming, King played in bands in high school with classmate Morgan Jahnig, who would later become the bassist of Old Crow Medicine Show. On graduating from The Westminster Schools in Atlanta in 1998, the two friends attended New York University. While there, King picked up the guitar again, and revisited the finger-style techniques that intrigued her as a child. While at NYU she studied with Bill Rayner, a professor of guitar. From there, King played a few occasional gigs and busked in the New York City Subway.[6][7]
Style, techniques and instruments[edit]
As a long-time Ovation player, King was invited to design her own custom guitar, the result being the Adamas 1581-KK model.[28] Each guitar is signed by King, and she can be seen playing it often on tour and in The DVD for Tegan And Sara's The Con.
King's fingerstyle playing combines fret-tapping with slap bass techniques, using the guitar for percussive beats, as well as sound layering and looping. Her playing style has been compared to Michael Hedges and Preston Reed,[29] the latter of whom she explicitly cites as an influence.[30]
King uses Elixir Strings, particularly the Acoustic Light Guitar Strings on her custom Ovation Adamas guitar, and is a featured artist on the company's website.[31]
Personal life[edit]
King is a lesbian.[32] King married Jessica Templin in October 2012, giving Templin her surname.[33] They honeymooned in Australia, where King played at the Peats Ridge Festival.[34] The couple have two children.
