| William King | |||||
| Other Names: | Wak | ||||
| Birth Date: | 30 January 1949 | ||||
| Birth Place: | Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. | ||||
| Years Active: | 1968–present | ||||
| Spouse: | |||||
| Children: | 4 | ||||
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William King (born January 30, 1949) is an American singer, musician and choreographer. He is a founding member of the Commodores, where he plays trumpet, guitar, synthesizer, flute, and congas/percussion and is the group's choreographer.
King was born in Birmingham, Alabama. After attending Tuskegee University, where he received all-conference selections in the SIAC,[1] he considered playing tennis professionally but decided to continue his career with the Commodores.[2] King was also hired by a digital computer company to write software but gave that up as well to join the band.[3]
King's compositions include "Lady" and "I'm In Love", both of which he co-composed with Harold Hudson and his wife Shirley Hanna-King. The latter was the B side to their single "Janet" which was released in 1985.[4]
King married his songwriting partner and fellow Grammy Award nominee, Shirley Hanna-King in 1976 and they have four children. King is an avid tennis player, inducted to the SIAC Hall of Fame in 2024, and has participated in many tournaments.