Canadian rock band, The Kings, were formed in 1977 in Oakville, Ontario. The original lineup included David Diamond on bass and lead vocals, Mister Zero (John Picard) on guitar, Sonny Keyes on keyboards and vocals, and Max Styles on drums. Initially known as WhistleKing, the band honed their skills through club gigs and songwriting sessions for over three years before recording their debut album The Kings Are Here in 1980 at Nimbus 9 Studio in Toronto. The album featured the hit double-A side single "This Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide", which peaked at Number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached Number 59 in Canada. Following extensive tours with notable acts like Bob Seger, Jeff Beck, The Beach Boys, and Eric Clapton, the band released their follow-up album Amazon Beach in 1981. Despite initial success, the band faced challenges including label changes and lineup shifts. In the late 1980s, "This Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide" experienced a resurgence in popularity on Chicago radio stations, leading to the release of Unstoppable in 1993, which produced several hits in Canada. The Kings continued to tour and release music throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, with notable albums including Because Of You (2003) and The Kings Anthology One. Their career highlights include a full-length reunion concert in Toronto in 2005 and a documentary released on streaming video platforms in November 2017.
