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Tributes paid after death of influential soul singer Ray King – who inspired the ska and 2 Tone movement
Tributes have been paid to soul singer Ray King, who has died aged 87 and is widely credited with inspiring Coventry's ska and 2 Tone movement. Born Vibert Cornwall, King moved from St Vincent to the UK in the 1960s and became a central figure in Coventry's music scene, with former bandmates going on to join The Specials and The Selecter, two bands central to the 2 Tone genre.
King's first group, the Ray King Soul Band, debuted at Coventry's The Walsgrave Club before securing a six-month residency at London's Playboy Club, where stars including Jimi Hendrix and Paul McCartney reportedly sat in on occasion. He drew on influences such as Nat King Cole, Elvis Presley and Sam Cooke, and was honoured with a plaque on the Wall of Fame at Coventry's 2 Tone village in 2012. Tributes have poured in from figures including The Specials' Lynval Golding and Neville Staple, who both credited King as a foundational inspiration without whom the 2 Tone movement would not have existed.
In short
- Soul singer Ray King, aged 87, has died
- He helped inspire Coventry's ska and 2 Tone movement
- The Specials' members paid tribute, calling him a foundational influence
Explained simply
The 2 Tone movement was a British musical genre that emerged from Coventry in the late 1970s, combining soul, ska and reggae influences. It produced influential bands including The Specials and The Selecter, which had a significant impact on British popular music and youth culture.
Ray King was a soul singer who moved to the United Kingdom from St Vincent in the 1960s and became a central figure in Coventry's music scene during this earlier era. The Ray King Soul Band performed at various venues and established a residency at London's Playboy Club, with King drawing influences from classic soul artists including Nat King Cole, Elvis Presley and Sam Cooke.
King's importance lies in his foundational influence on the musicians who would later create the 2 Tone movement, with former bandmates going on to join The Specials and The Selecter. These musicians have credited King as an essential inspiration for their work, and his contributions were formally recognised in 2012 when he was honoured on Coventry's Wall of Fame at the 2 Tone village.