At Marcus King's Family Reunion, singer shares why he started concerts; see photos

At Marcus King's Family Reunion, nobody is a stranger.

This is especially true for 76-year-old singer Ann Shuey of Clemmons, N.C.

Fifty-six years ago, Ann Shuey, then known as "Miss Ann" Cumming, played alongside Marcus King's grandfather, Billy King, while he was in the military stationed with her then-husband. Stationed in Germany, Billy started a country band called Billy King and the Country Gentlemen and asked Shuey to sing.

"I didn't know any country songs, I had never listened to country music. He said here's a reel-to-reel tape and learn these 12 songs," Shuey said at The Reunion on Sunday.

Just six weeks ago, she didn't know that Billy King's grandson, Marcus, was a nationally touring, Grammy-nominated musician, either.

Shuey learned that King was playing at CCNB Amphitheater in Simpsonville and made the trek to meet him, surprised at how much the Kings looked alike.

Marcus, who hosted the reunion, performed with local legends such as Darby Wilcox and Nikki Lane, who grew up in Greenville, and nationally touring artists like Band of Horses, Sierra Ferrell, and The Avett Brothers.

"This reunion started in 2017, but it dates back much further, you know, back to the '60s when my family started their family reunion and bringing back together and having it at this level and this being the first year back in South Carolina ground so that means a great deal to me. I'm really proud of our little town, Greenville," Marcus said.

"The music scene in Greenville, South Carolina, is really inclusive; it's really a family, and it's magnanimous, you know? It's a really special place. They take care of their own and you'll never meet a stranger. I'm just really proud to be a part of it and to have come up in it."

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: At Marcus King's Family Reunion, singer shares why he started concerts; see photos