Bandleader. Born Harold Wayne King, he was raised in Illinois, studied music from an early age, and was a stand-out athlete in high school, briefly playing for the legendary Canton Bulldogs. He attended Indiana's Valpariso University, played saxophone for Paul Whiteman, then formed the Wayne King Orchestra in 1927. King is credited with re-arranging the Carrie Jacobs-Bond classic "I Love You Truly" into the form now usually heard; thru the 1930s, the group was kept busy on radio, and in nightclubs and ballrooms, where King always closed his gigs with his signature piece, "The Waltz You Saved for Me". Begining a long recording career (he had a successful Christmas album for Decca as late as 1963) with RCA Victor in 1929, he was to have numerous 'hits', including "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (1931), "Josephine" (1937), and "I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)". Disbanding the orchestra for WWII, King served as a major in the US Army, then resumed performing, achieving another chart-topper with the 1946 "All Alone". He had his own television show in Chicago from 1949 until 1952; King was married to silent screen starlet Dorothy Janis for over 50 years, and in retirement ran an Arizona cattle ranch and a car rental business. He gave his final concert in Sarasota, Florida, in 1983, and today is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A number of his records remain available on CD.
Bandleader. Born Harold Wayne King, he was raised in Illinois, studied music from an early age, and was a stand-out athlete in high school, briefly playing for the legendary Canton Bulldogs. He attended Indiana's Valpariso University, played saxophone for Paul Whiteman, then formed the Wayne King Orchestra in 1927. King is credited with re-arranging the Carrie Jacobs-Bond classic "I Love You Truly" into the form now usually heard; thru the 1930s, the group was kept busy on radio, and in nightclubs and ballrooms, where King always closed his gigs with his signature piece, "The Waltz You Saved for Me". Begining a long recording career (he had a successful Christmas album for Decca as late as 1963) with RCA Victor in 1929, he was to have numerous 'hits', including "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (1931), "Josephine" (1937), and "I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)". Disbanding the orchestra for WWII, King served as a major in the US Army, then resumed performing, achieving another chart-topper with the 1946 "All Alone". He had his own television show in Chicago from 1949 until 1952; King was married to silent screen starlet Dorothy Janis for over 50 years, and in retirement ran an Arizona cattle ranch and a car rental business. He gave his final concert in Sarasota, Florida, in 1983, and today is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A number of his records remain available on CD.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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