If the past and present members of The Kingsmen were combined, they would be able to form a large choir instead of a band, but somehow the band has soldiered on despite numerous lineup changes. The Kingsmen first came together in 1959 in Portland, Oregon. The first lineup featured Jack Ely as the lead singer and guitarist, Lynn Easton as the drummer, Mike Mitchell on lead guitar, Bob Nordby on bass and Don Galucci on piano. The band started playing locally at any gig they could get ranging from school parties to fashion shows. They started gaining fame, leading to them beginning a recording career.

They began by recording a cover of "Louie Louie," which had already been released before by other solo artists and groups. The song was not an initial success but soon started to gain momentum. By 1964, the band was becoming a success around the country, but the band suffered a blow when Easton gained the rights to the band's name and elevated himself to lead singer. Mitchell was the only one to stay with Easton after the announcement and they also retained the recording contract. Ely tried to form his own version of the band, which did not find success, and Galucci formed another completely separate group.

Easton and Mitchell added new members and continued to release albums. They found success with singles like "Money" and "Little Latin Lupe Lu" and hit gold again with the song "The Jolly Green Giant." The band has broken up and gotten back together a few times over the years, continuing to produce albums and perform live. The band also had to sue for the rights to the song in the 1990s, and eventually won against their previous record companies. The latest release from the band was Louie Louie, The Best of the Kingsmen, which came out in 2008.