John Stanley King

In this very special show, Coachella Valley native John Stanley King invites you to join him on a musical journey through generations, saluting his father's side of the acclaimed King musical family. Providing authentic folk music and appearing onscreen in the 1940s film The Grapes of Wrath, the King family echoed the fictional Joads, migrating to California during the Dust Bowl. From the cowboy songs of Fort Smith, Arkansas, to the Bakersfield Sound, this show will include Bluegrass campfire tunes, unexpected hidden gems, and a front-row seat to an incredible musical story you can't hear anywhere else.

King is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and fixture of the Coachella Valley music scene. Born in Indio, he has been performing in the area for over 50 years and is widely celebrated in Southern California for his seamless ability to blend jazz, acoustic folk, classic rock, country, and reggae into an easy-going, crowd-engaging style. This will be his first performance at the Library.