by Al Campbell Born in New York in 1986, singer/songwriter Emily King grew up surrounded by music, as her parents are jazz vocalists Marion Cowings and Kim Kalesti. In 2002, the 16-year-old decided to concentrate full-time on her singing career; she received her GED, and began perfecting her craft in earnest. By 2005 King had gained the attention of Hitman studio team member Chucky Thompson and was signed by RCA/J Records, who released her debut album, East Side Story, in 2006. The single "Walk in My Shoes" appeared the following year.