William King (singer)

William King (born January 30, 1949) is an American singer, musician and choreographer. He is a founding member of the Commodores, where he plays trumpet, guitar, synthesizer, flute, and congas/percussion and is the group's choreographer.

Background
King was born in Birmingham, Alabama. After attending Tuskegee University, where he received all-conference selections in the SIAC, he considered playing tennis professionally but decided to continue his career with the Commodores. King was also hired by a digital computer company to write software but gave that up as well to join the band.

King's compositions include "Lady" and "I'm In Love", both of which he co-composed with Harold Hudson and his wife Shirley Hanna-King. The latter was the B side to their single "Janet" which was released in 1985.

Personal life
King married his songwriting partner and fellow Grammy Award nominee, Shirley Hanna-King in 1976 and they have four children. King is an avid tennis player, inducted to the SIAC Hall of Fame in 2024, and has participated in many tournaments.