The Royals of San Diego

Peter King: Baritone, Lead Vocals, Music Director
Originally from Boston, he began studying classical piano at the age of seven. Over the course of the next four years, he was "corrupted" by the evils of early Rock & Roll and started playing the guitar in 1964. His vocal debut at the age of fifteen was a highly acclaimed rendition of "Honestly Sincere" from the musical Bye Bye Birdie in the summer of 1968. After getting a bit tired of acid rock, Doo Wop became his specialty in the early 1970’s. The first Sha Na Na album was probably the most significant influence on his musical career and he formed his first 50's band, "The Little Darlins" in 1971. Several years later, he became a bass player and has been ever since. His conversion to the bass guitar was influenced by Johnny Maestro (lead singer of the Crests and the Brooklyn Bridge). For a time, he returned to classical music and studied voice for nine years. In the early 1980’s, he sang with several opera companies in the New England area, including the Opera Company of Boston and the Providence Opera Theater in Rhode Island. He participated in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions in Boston in 1985. After having enough of New England winters, he relocated to San Diego in 1991 and has continued to work with numerous groups both singing and playing bass guitar. "The Royals" is his latest project in the Doo Wop arena.