Profile

**JOHN ANDREW KING**
NAME:	John Andrew King
DATE OF BIRTH:	May 10th, 1964
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 1988 - 1989	- SOB's Night Club, NY
	- Westin Hotel (Boston)
	- Grenada Carnival
	- Trinidad Carnival (Mas Camp Calypso Tent)
1991	- Jamacia Carnival
1991	- Reggae Sunsplash
1992	- St. Lawrence Music Festival
	- Carnival Martinique
	- Pirate's Week Celebrations (Cayman Islands)
	- Silver's Night Club (Cayman Islands)
1993-1994	- Norwegian Cruise Line (MS Starward)
1993-1994	- Nation Awards Vocalist of The 1994
ACHIEVEMENTS:	- Calypso Monarch Barbados 1986
	- Barbados Song Festival Winner 1992
	- Caribbean Song Festival Winner 1992
	- Calypso Monarch Barbados 1994
	- Vocalist of the Year 1994
	- Nominee 5th Annual Caribbean Music Awards Best Record/Party Tune category 1995
AWARDS:	- M.E.G.O.B Award for Top Calypsonian 1986
	- Kool Bajan Promotion of New York Award for Outstanding Contribution to Barbados Culture 1986
	- Marcus Garvey Committee Award for Outstanding Contribution to Barbados Culture 1988
	- Culture Promotions Awards 1992 Top Male Vocalists and Top Pop Artists
	- Ragged Point Youth Group Award for Outstanding Contribution in Music
	- Top Reggae Band 1991 (Member of Sygnacha)
RECORDINGS:	- 1987 - DIFFERENT STROKES (Album)
	- 1988 - AWESOME (Album)
	- 1989 - SIMPLY MASSIVE (Album)
	- 1992 - COME DOWN POSSE (SYGNACHA) (Album)
	- 1992 - HOLD YOU IN A SONG (Single)
	- 1994 - PSYCHED (Album)
	- 1995 - BUBBLING IN THE 809 (Compilation)
	- 1995 - BREAK AWAY (Album)
	-1996 - SLAM (Compilation)
	- 1996 - YARD STYLE (Album) (produced by MESA)
	- 1996 - JEGNA (Album)

A lover of music from a very young age, because of the influence of his mother, John starte his calypso career in 1982 under the stage name of Johnny Ma Boy. He immediately drew the attention of the judges and in 1983 went on to finals. In 1985 he placed 3rd with "I want a Plantation" as one of his songs."Tribute to the Skipper" and "Congratulations were the two songs which won him his first calypso Monarch crown in 1986 - both of them penned by Anthony Walrond.
The year 1986 proved to be a memorable one for John as he also won the MEGOB Award for Top Calpsonian and the Kool Bajan Promotion of New York Award for Outstanding Contribution to Barbados, Culture in that year.
Then in 1985, John decided that he wanted to branch off and do more 'stuff' like ballads and so on but he thought that the name Johnny Ma Boy would no longer be appropriate. He therefore simply kept his name John King.
The Calypso Monarch Finals of 1988 are indelibly etched in this singer's mind. That year, he sang "Living a Lie" and "Family Ties" both were written by Anthony Walrond and everyone thought that John had won the title. When the result was announced, the crown went to Rita Forrester who had sung two numbers penned by John King himself.
Between 1990 and l993, John teamed up with his now good friend Christopher Allman, along with David Jordan and Lance Howell to form the group Sygnacha. During this time he won both the Barbados and the Caribbean Song Festivals when he teamed up with Allison Hinds while the band won an award for the Top Reggae Group of 1991. Some of his most unforgettable moments were when he was a part of this group. His most memorable being performing at the White River Reggae Festival in Jamaica in 1992. His most embarrassing moment was in the Cayman Islands when his pants seam burst out as he performed on stage with the group.
A one year stint singing on a ship in 1993 was "good experience and different to what I was accustomed to"but afforded this versatile singer another opportunity to grow. When he returned to the stage in 1994, we saw amore confident and experienced John King who immediately caught us up in the wave of excitement of his being 'back' and took away the crown in one of the most popular decisions ever. In answer to the query 'where does John wish to go' he replies "I want to be internationally knovsm as an artiste, that way I can spread my message. I also want to be the best that I can be spiritually, as a person."

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