Biography


King James is a melodic Christian hard rock band with a lead vocalist (Jimi Bennett) who sings emotionally driven lyrics, a shredding guitarist (Rex Carroll) with an axe to grind and a touch of the blues, a pounding rhythm section (Michael Feighan on drums and Benny Ramos on bass) who backs them up, and songs that tell truthful and compelling stories with passion and conviction!
 

"Classic Hard Rock reminiscent of Zeppelin, Deep Purple, the Scorpions, and Whitesnake" 

  
Formed in 1993, King James has been called a hard rock supergroup for good reason. 
  
In 1993, Rex Carroll (Whitecross) met Jimi Bennett (Sacred Fire) at the Kingdom Bound Festival in Buffalo, New York. Over the next several months. they developed a bond of music, ministry, and friendship that continues to this day. The timing was right; Jimi was looking to put together a new band, whereas Rex was feeling the pull toward new musical horizons. 
  
As fortune would have it, Stryper was in a down season as well. Rex called Tim Gaines, Jimi called Robert Sweet, and the original line-up of King James was born. Jimi on lead vocals, Rex on guitar, Robert Sweet on drums, and Tim Gaines on bass, pulling together these members of Stryper, Sacred Fire, and Whitecross. 
  
King James recorded one successful album for StarSong in 1994 and toured extensively. 
  
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During a European tour in 1995, they signed with Viva Records. Viva was a smaller label with distribution primarily in Europe, thereby extending the band’s influence outside of the U.S. 
  
Having experienced a great deal of success in the “80’s metal” days, the musical climate of the 90’s force the guys to re-invent themselves in order to survive. So in 1997, they penned a new set of hard rock gems with an alternative edge – harder, deeper, louder, and reflective of the times. 
  
Upon its initial release, their second album “The Fall” sold well in Europe. With limited resources from Viva Records, the album was available in the U.S. as an import only. At the end of the 90's, Stryper re-formed, Whitecross was playing together again, and Jimi Bennett started a new band, Viktor, with Louie Weaver (Petra). 
  
The important thing  is that while King James was on hiatus, it was never “out-of-sight / out-of-mind.” In fact, little by little the band and their albums have attracted a steadily growing worldwide audience. Interest grew to a point that in 2010 “The Fall” was re-released to an enthusiastic fan base. 
  
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Then, in late 2011, Rex and Jimi partnered with Memphis-based record label Madison Line Records for a new album. It was an easy decision, because of the loyal audience that was, and is, fueling the drive to new albums and more concert tours. 
  

With the departures of Robert Sweet and Tim Gaines, the problem remained of how to position the band for a new album and a new live show. Determined to find an amazing lineup, King James signaled its intention of being a force to be reckoned with for years to come by recruiting Benny Ramos on bass and Michael Feighan on drums. Michael and Benny had both played previously with Whitecross, and the positive vibe and chemistry was immediately apparent. 

 Armed with a bevy of great songs and a fantastic band, King James recorded their latest magnum opus in 2012 entitled "MAXIMUS".  MAXIMUS is easily and by far the best album yet from King James. A total group effort has given us several new hard rock classics, featuring brilliant performances by the entire band. Memorable songs and deeply personal stories are sung with conviction, played with passion, and ready to rock on stages everywhere. John Lawry (Petra) handled the engineering while Rex kept a steady hand on the wheel as he tproducer, raising the bar and setting new standards in the process. 

Early in 2015, King James decided to make a couple of music videos to help promote themselves. The inimitable James Erdman was contracted to work his magic and the results are stellar. Both videos (Prisoner and Waiting For The King) are on youtube for your enjoyment. It should be noted that these videos could not have been made without the support of the band's incredible fan base, which funded the entire project on Indiegogo. 

With great albums, great songs, and great fans, King James is rocking it on tour, and they'll be in your neighborhood soon!  
  
  
 

Band Intro

1995 Official Video