The 3 Kings was a jazz trio, also known as the Three Blind Mice, as they wore dark glasses. They were formed at Hot Springs High School by future US President Bill Clinton on tenor saxophone, Randy Goodrum on piano and Joe Newman alternating with Mike Hardgraves on drums. They played in the school auditorium, the Quapaw Community Center and at the YMCA and YWCA, where high school teenagers would dance. Their advertising slogan was "swing pretty hard with some cool jazz".
According to Goodrum, who became a professional pianist, the band was influenced by Stan Getz, and covered some of his bossa nova records. They also performed a variety of blues, jazz and pop songs. He recalls that the band played together for about two years beginning in 1963, "mostly for community events and variety shows".
References
- Bill Clinton (2004), My Life, Alfred A. Knopf, p. 56, ISBN 9780375414572
- William A. DeGregorio (1993), The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents, Barricade Books, p. 706, ISBN 9780942637922
- David Gallen (1994), Bill Clinton as they know him: an oral biography, p. 35
- Nigel Hamilton (2011), "The Three Kings", Bill Clinton: An American Journey, Random House, pp. 122–123, ISBN 9781407088259
- Levin, Robert (1992). Bill Clinton: The Inside Story. S.P.I. Books. ISBN 9781561711772.
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