Born in 1959, Jo grew up in Buckinghamshire with his brother and sister and parents Brenda and Jeremy King, both professional artists and very evident today in St. Ives. Jo studied theatre and music at Darlington College of Arts and went on to become a cabaret performer in Holland for 8 years.

He returned to England in 1989 where he settled in Todmorden and has since worked mainly in theatre with Horse and Bamboo, Pentabus, Whitwood and Fleming and Swervy World. He now tours his own brand of cabaret under the name King Villa, in which his songwriting and performing skills are very evident.

Jo has tended to shy away from visual art because of his parents success - but was inspired after watching the life drawing scene in the film Titanic!! Since then he has spent many a happy hour sharpening his pencil over many a naked body! His favourite artists tend to be American Andrew Wyeth, Norman Rockwell and Gill Elveryn, to name a few. He is married with two children and is available for weddings, funerals and theatrical events.