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Cast King

1926 – 2007

Musician

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About Cast King

Lived 1926 – 2007 (aged 81). Cast King was a songwriter.

Joseph D. "Cast" King (February 16, 1926 – December 13, 2007) was a country musician and songwriter from Old Sand Mountain, Alabama.

King released the album, "Saw Mill Man", in 2005. He was aged 79 at the time of recording.

A song from the album entitled "Outlaw" was included in the score of Gus Van Sant's 2007 film, Paranoid Park.

"Saw Mill Man" drew comparisons to Johnny Cash's American Recordings series.

King's baritone voice and acoustic guitar have been praised as possessing a raw and affecting quality.

The narratives of the songs dealt with characteristic country themes such as poverty, broken relationships, and murderous outlaws.

Although his opportunity to record a full-length album came late in life, Cast King had previously recorded for Sun Records in 1955.

With his band, The Country Drifters, he cut around a dozen songs at this time.

It was musician, Matt Downer, who located King and encouraged him to come out of a long musical retirement and record.

Downer also played electric guitar throughout "Saw Mill Man".

The record was met with favourable reviews from Rolling Stone, Arthur Magazine, Mojo, and No Depression among other publications.

King was preparing a second collection of songs when it was discovered that he was suffering from cancer. He died at the age of 81 on December 13, 2007.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation

People in Cast King's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Cast King's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Cast King?

musician

When was Cast King born?

Cast King was born on 16 February 1926.

When did Cast King die?

Cast King died on 13 December 2007.

What was Cast King's occupation?

Cast King was a songwriter.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Cast King

· Wikidata: Q5049543

· DBpedia: Cast King

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Cast King. https://biography.guide/cast-king/

MLA: "Cast King." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/cast-king/.

Chicago: "Cast King." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/cast-king/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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