The King Family Band Promotes Faithful Family Values

"We really didn't plan to start a bluegrass band," said Kim King of her nine member family, The King Family Band, which travels the midwest as a popular musical group.

However, that's how things have ended up with all seven of her and husband Tim's children, playing fiddle and other string instruments.

"What people enjoy most is that it's encouragement to see us all standing together, the little ones and the older ones. It's the importance of family still getting together," said Kim, whose children range in age from 8 to 22.

In fact, a lot of their shows draw an older crowd who often come up to the family afterward and tell them that seeing them together brings back memories of how they did things, she added.

"Bluegrass music has always had gospel roots, and bluegrass is a good place to share faith because it has songs people are familiar with," Kim said.

As a homeschooling veteran, Kim knows that going that route allowed her to incorporate music more often and more naturally into her children's education.

"That was just part of the curriculum," Tim King said, adding that now the children are so skilled that they don't have to rehearse much as a family because everybody works so hard individually.

Yet clearly their practice has paid off. Although they first started playing at nursing homes and local churches, the Kings continue to branch out as their talent pool grows, competing in recent years at the Illinois State Fair and the International Bluegrass Competition in Nashville, Tenn. They've also played numerous fairs, festivals and concerts across the Midwest, both secular (like Frankfort's recent ) and faith-based.

"Somtimes we're the token gospel group at a bluegrass festival. Then we play places when it's all gospel. It's a neat way to share our faith and keep our family together," Kim said.

With lead guitar player-vocalist (and oldest son) Caleb finishing college this past May and heading off to dental school in the fall, Kim knows things will change some, but she's confident that God will continue to guide their music ministry, as he has over the past 15-plus years. In fact, their most recent CD project was a God-thing, Kim said.

"God gave us the words and the ideas of what to write about and the time (to do it)," she said of son Caleb's songwriting on the album. "Within six months all, the words were written. Then we spent a lot of concentrated time together (producing it)."

And while Caleb isn't quite sure how dental school will fit in with playing bluegrass, he trusts that somehow God will equip him to do both.

"I'm hoping to come back on weekends," he said. "That's the nice thing about having nine (members). Hopefully, somebody will step up."