Call him the next Duane Allman or Jimi Hendrix, but whatever you do, don’t call Marcus King a child prodigy. Sure, the guitar shredder’s talent shimmers with the same resonance as his heroes, but he’s been wielding an axe since he learned to talk – he started playing when he was 2.
King was born into music, gifted with steel-string DNA and two generations of men before him who nurtured the boy’s musical nature. King’s dad, the slyly talented Marvin King, has been a force in Upstate South Carolina’s music heritage for as long as anyone can remember. Marvin’s father and Marcus’s granddad, Bill, played a big part, too.
It was only natural, then, that the boy who got his first guitar (a Squier Strat) at age 7 would land his first paying gig a year later. When he was 11, he joined his father’s Marvin King & The Blues Revival to open for Muddy Waters’s onetime bassist Mac Arnold at The Handlebar, the storied venue in their Greenville, S.C., hometown. Around that time, he also played on his dad’s critically acclaimed album, Huge in Europe. And when he was 15, the Marcus King Band opened for the legendary Johnny Winter.
A particular MKB achievement came with the September 2014 release of Soul InSight. The album’s 12 original tunes, including three instrumentals, showcase a literal lifetime of virtuosity, along with vocals as clear and as soulful as Marvin Gaye’s and as nuanced as Amy Winehouse ’s.
Adding to all that, King knows jazz. That’s because he built on his Southern-rock foundation with lessons from one of the best instrumentalists around: Steve Watson, the formidable guitarist renowned for his performance on TV’s seminal Hill Street Blues theme song.
King still continues to grow, to experiment, to share his passions, although he’s not much of a talker. He lets his guitar do that, using it to tell the same story we all tell, to share emotions we all feel.
“I can say more truthfully in song what I can say in words,” he says. “Music breaks down the awkward barrier.” (For the record, whenever he hears the shopworn “teen angst,” Marcus recoils with the same allergic reaction that he has to “child prodigy.”)
Of the band, Jack Ryan plays drums with a musicianship that brings to mind Ginger Baker and Charlie Watts. Bassist Stephen Campbell drives MKB the same way that Garry W. Tallent keeps Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band on course. Through it all, King gives his mates plenty of breathing room to jam.
The result is a fusion of wildly eclectic genres, offering a live experience as mesmerizing as it is dance-inducing.
King himself lists an intriguing roster of favorites and influences: Duane Allman, of course, as well as Warren Haynes, Little Feat and Aretha Franklin, to name a few, and his band on any given night plays covers from Bob Marley to Lauryn Hill and from Les McCann to Black Sabbath.
That’s King – an engaged and engaging young man with a lifetime of experience, still coming into his own, still carrying his guitar with him, and promising us all a promising future.
I Won't Be Here
The Marcus King Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
′Cause I no longer feel that pain
I was standing by others
I felt alone in the pouring rain
When you did the things you've done
Changed my perspective on love
Hurt me so damn bad
And you know I′ve got somebody else beside me
And her passion is much stronger
And she′s bound to love me longer
I won't be here
If you ever change your mind
I won′t be here
If you ever change your mind
I never spoke the words, "I love you"
But with you the words felt true
Felt the distance when I held you close, baby
Now, I'm holding someone new
You′ll never admit to the hurt you brought me
Or accept the pain you've caused
So oblivious to it all, baby
Now, a new flame holds my heart
And you know I′ve got somebody else beside me
And her passion is much stronger
And she's bound to love me longer
I won't be here
If you ever change your mind
I won′t be here
If you ever change your mind
I won′t be here
If you ever change your mind
I won't be here
In "I Won't Be Here," The Marcus King Band explores the theme of moving on from a past relationship. The lyrics describe the pain the singer felt when their former lover did wrong by them, and how they have found happiness with someone new. The song opens with the singer acknowledging that they have finally moved on from the pain caused by their past relationship. They no longer feel the same hurt and sadness that they once did. However, the singer feels alienated from their friends and family, who, at one point, failed to provide them with the support they needed when they were going through a rough time.
The chorus of the song finds the singer declaring that they have moved on and are done with their former lover. The singer highlights that they have found someone new who loves them harder and longer than their ex-lover ever could. The last verse explores the idea that the singer never spoke the words "I love you" to their ex-lover, but with their new lover, saying those words feels true. The singer ends the song by stating that they will not be there if their ex-lover ever decides to come back.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord, my tears have dried up
I have moved on from the pain you caused me and no longer cry over it.
′Cause I no longer feel that pain
The emotional pain you caused me is no longer present in my life.
I was standing by others
I had other people in my life, but I still felt alone because of the pain you caused me.
I felt alone in the pouring rain
Even though I had people around me, I felt isolated and hopeless, like I was getting drenched in the rain.
When you did the things you've done
Your actions caused me emotional pain and heartache.
Changed my perspective on love
Your hurtful actions changed the way I viewed love and relationships.
Hurt me so damn bad
The pain you caused me was intense and excruciating.
Now, there′s someone else that I'm dreamin' of
I have found someone who makes me happy and who I have feelings for.
And you know I′ve got somebody else beside me
I am with someone new and happier than I was with you.
And her passion is much stronger
My new partner's feelings for me are stronger and more intense than yours ever were.
And she′s bound to love me longer
I believe my new partner will love me for a longer period of time than you did.
I won't be here
If you change your mind about wanting me back, I will not be there waiting for you.
If you ever change your mind
If you decide you want me back after leaving me in pain and sadness, I will not be available.
I never spoke the words, 'I love you'
I had not admitted my love to you, but the feelings were there.
But with you the words felt true
When I was with you, I felt like the words 'I love you' were accurate and honest.
Felt the distance when I held you close, baby
Although we were physically close, I still felt distant and disconnected from you.
Now, I'm holding someone new
I have moved on and found someone else who fills the void you left in my life.
You'll never admit to the hurt you brought me
You are not willing to acknowledge the pain you caused me.
Or accept the pain you've caused
You refuse to take responsibility for the pain and heartache you caused me.
So oblivious to it all, baby
You are completely unaware of the harm you inflicted on me.
Now, a new flame holds my heart
I have fallen in love with someone else and they have a special place in my heart.
Writer(s): Marcus King
Contributed by Mateo J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@therdmbf42
This kid is so special... He has something that took countless legendary musicians a lifetime to find. I feel unbelievably blessed to have come across his music so early in his career...
@ChadUSA
100% 👍
@victoriathompson1916
Absolutely.
@GrantDane-ux2oh
Such a pure voice. And that guitar sound. Priceless!!
@karinbakas741
Unbelievable ❤
@lynnduvall2013
Ÿes
@brendarichey1290
WHY ! WHY ! WHY ! Am I just now discovering your music !!!!! I'm reeled in as of August 2022 ❤
@herryburr90
💝💝💝 hey 👋
@hockeymonkey4774
Can't stop listening. Please never stop making music. You were made for this.
@steveboyd3551
Wow wow wow