Tom King (musician) facts for kids
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Thomas R. King (born July 13, 1942 – died April 23, 2011) was an American musician, songwriter, and guitarist. He started the 1960s rock band The Outsiders. He also helped write the band's most famous song, "Time Won't Let Me".
The Story of Tom King's Music
Tom King was born in Cleveland, Ohio. In the late 1950s, he went to Shaw High School in East Cleveland.
When he was just 15, he started his first band, The Starfires. Sometimes, they were called Tom King & the Starfires. Later, in 1965, he formed The Outsiders. This new band was like a continuation of The Starfires.
King worked with his brother-in-law, Chet Kelley, to write "Time Won't Let Me" in 1966. This song became a huge hit! It was part of an album with the same name. The song was super popular, staying on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 15 weeks. It even reached number 5 and sold over a million copies!
Other famous artists also covered the song. Iggy Pop sang it on his album Party in 1981. Then, The Smithereens also had a hit with their version in 1994. Tom King even won an award from BMI. He got this award because his song had been played on the radio more than four million times!
Tom King passed away on April 23, 2011, at the age of 68. He died in Wickliffe, Ohio.
