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.