We are the 5 children of James Brewster Conkling and Donna Olivia Driggs Conkling. Our Father was a music and broadcasting executive who helped create the award now commonly called The Grammy Awards and the Columbia Record Club. Our Mother was one of the original King Sisters.

James Brewster Conkling was the head of Artists and Repertoire at Capitol Records, the President of Columbia Records and the first President of Warner Brothers Records. He was instrumental in founding the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and during his presidency oversaw the signing of such stars as Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, and Dave Brubeck. Mr. Conkling was born in East Orange, N.J., graduated from Dartmouth College and attended graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he went to work for Capitol, and at the end of the 1940's was the Vice-President in charge of Artists and Repertoire, working with performers like Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, Mel Torme, Les Paul, and Stan Kenton. Under his leadership he and Alan Livingston also developed a significant children's record division including the invention of ``Bozo the Clown``.

In 1957, he helped found the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which awards the Grammys, and then became the founding chairman of the Academy. He built membership by selling discounted albums to members. ``Without Jim, there would have been no academy``, said the producer George Avakian, who worked with Mr. Conkling at Columbia.

Donna King Conkling was one of the original four King Sisters who gained fame as a singing act in the 1930s and 1940s, and who appeared on a weekly national ABC show ``The King Family`` in the 1960s. Donna began singing with her sisters as a trio on local radio station KSL in Salt Lake City and four of the six sisters joined Horace Heidt's orchestra with then future brother-in-law, pioneering steel guitarist, Alvino Rey.

Donna King Conkling was one of the original four King Sisters who gained fame as a singing act in the 1930s and 1940s, and who appeared on a weekly national ABC show ``The King Family`` in the 1960s. Donna began singing with her sisters as a trio on local radio station KSL in Salt Lake City and four of the six sisters joined Horace Heidt's orchestra with then future brother-in-law, pioneering steel guitarist, Alvino Rey.

Mom & Dad

Mom & Dad

Nat King Cole

Bob Newhart

Everly Brothers

King Sisters