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Or Get Myspace Comments Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area, The King Brothers - Lee and Sam, have been making music together for over 30 years. Based now in Southern California, they play some of the tightest Blues west of Chicago. Their famous cousin Freddy King, as well as Albert King, were early inspirations. The King Brothers musical history is rich and it shows in the on their Turnin' Up the Heat. years. Lee began playing guitar at the age 4, noting about music, "You don't choose it, it chooses you." For his part, Sam began pounding on pots and pans prior to getting his first set of drums and joining his brother, winning elementary school talent shows. Later, Lee played with Ike Turner, Big Joe Turner , Freddie King and Albert King, while Sam toured with Albert King, recording the landmark Blues at Sunrise album.Sam was also featured in the movie "Crossroads," and as the King Brothers, they appeared on the top-rated TV show "Life Goes On," performing their original song, "Last Train," which is also featured on the Turnin' Up the Heat CD. The band also won over 1,000 entries to earn a Budweiser endorsement, and between their more than 150 shows a year, find time to be the house band for LA radio station KLSX-FM, and perform live on the air for deejay Fraser Smith's comedy shows at the Laugh Factory and the Comedy Store.And an even bigger honor occurred in 1992, when, shortly before his death, Albert King presented "adopted cousin" Lee King with his prize guitar, "Lucy." Lee was greatly moved. "I feel a big responsibility because he passed the torch. It's a very special instrument: the finest guitar I've ever played in my life," he says of the Flying V guitar that was commissioned for Albert by ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons. While Lee knows enough about the blues to write a book, there's one chapter that's still unfinished and looking mighty promising- the continuing contribution of the King Brothers and Turnin' Up the Heat.But their music is all their own. Original lyrics and taut instrumental arrangements are the hallmarks of their critically acclaimed debut album, "Turnin' Up the Heat". The Kings feel that the Blues must grow and change in order to survive, so rather than imitate older artists, they've ceded them respect and gone forward with their own unique approach to the music.They are truly ORIGINAL... rather than relying solely on tried and true blues stylings - which the Kings inherited naturally from second-cousins and blues legends Freddy and Albert King - Sam and Lee King are establishing a new standard . "It's danceable , it's rock-flavored, funk-flavored, gospel-flavored," explains Lee of the King Brothers' music. "I don't know a damn thing about picking cotton; I don't drink whiskey; I don't dip snuff; I don't fit any of those blues-man stereotypes. We just dig it for the art form, and we're taking it where it needs to go." Where it needs to go is on MO`HEAT, the highly anticipated 2nd album from the King Brothers. On their own label, HARD ATTACK RECORDS are all done in their original funk-flavored style! "We've been influenced by all those legends, living and dead, but I wouldn't be true to the art form to stop there," explains Lee of his writing and playing. "It's like I wouldn't have done myself any good if I'd stopped at the third grade. I do blues the way I see it."The name King is very synonymous with the Blues, and The King Brothers definitely live up to that name, carrying the tradition on and taking it where it needs to go!!