Alec Woodburn (5 May 1942 in

Kettering Kettering is a market and industrial town in North Northamptonshire, England. It is located north of London and north-east of Northampton, west of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene. The name means "the place (or territory) ...

, Northamptonshire, England – 6 February 2012 in

Middlewich Middlewich is a town in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, east of Chester, east of Winsford, southeast of Northwich and northwest of Sandbach. The population at the 2011 Census was 13,595 ...

, England), known professionally as Jim King, was an original member of the British rock band

Family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

. He played saxophone and harmonica, and sang occasional lead vocals on the band's first two albums, ''

Music in a Doll's House ''Music in a Doll's House'' is the debut album by English progressive rock group Family, released on 19 July 1968. The album, co-produced by Dave Mason of Traffic,Vernon Joynson, ''The Tapestry of Delights Revised, The Comprehensive Guide To Bri ...

'' and ''

Family Entertainment ''Family Entertainment'' is the second album by the British progressive rock band Family, released in March 1969. The cover of the album was a takeoff from the sleeve of the Doors' second album, '' Strange Days'', as Family admitted. Backgrou ...

.'' King also sang the entire lead vocal on "Observations From a Hill", a song on the latter album. Jim, as he became known, formed James King and the Farinas (later just The Farinas), a

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the ...

based

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm ...

group, with guitarist

Charlie Whitney Charlie may refer to: Characters * "Charlie," the head of the Townsend Agency', from the ''Charlie's Angels'' franchise * Charlie, a character on signs for the CharlieCard, a smart card issued by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority * ...

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...

in 1962. He sang the lead vocal on the group's single "You Better Stop" b/w "I Like it Like That". When

Roger Chapman Roger Maxwell Chapman (born 8 April 1942 in Leicester), also known as Chappo, is an English rock vocalist. He is best known as a member of the progressive rock band Family, which he joined along with Charlie Whitney, in 1966 and also the rock ...

joined as vocalist in 1966, the group had begun to perform under the name The Roaring Sixties. The name Family was decided upon later. King left Family in October 1969 owing to health problems and 'musical disagreements'. As well as session work for Dave Mason and Gordon Jackson, he joined the jazz-rock band Ring of Truth for a brief period, doing a few gigs, then concentrated on composing and playing solo concerts, mostly classical sax with some jazz. In February 2012, he died while living in

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county tow ...

, at the age of 69.

References

1942 births 2012 deaths People from Kettering Family (band) members English rock saxophonists English jazz saxophonists British male saxophonists British harmonica players 20th-century saxophonists {{saxophonist-stub