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Ben E. King

Benjamin Earl King[1] (né Nelson; September 28, 1938 – April 30, 2015) was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer.

Ben E. King
King in the 1960s
Background information
Birth nameBenjamin Earl Nelson
Born(1938-09-28)September 28, 1938
Henderson, North Carolina, U.S.
OriginHarlem, New York, U.S.
DiedApril 30, 2015(2015-04-30) (aged 76)
Hackensack, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, record producer
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • piano
Years active1958–2015
Labels
Websitebeneking.info'

He rose to prominence as one of the principal lead singers of the R&B vocal group The Drifters, notably singing the lead vocals of one of their biggest global hit singles (and only U.S. No. 1 hit), "Save the Last Dance for Me".[2] As a soloist, King is best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me", which became a US Top 10 hit, both in 1961 and later in 1986 (when it was used as the theme to the film of the same name), and a number one hit in the United Kingdom in 1987. It was also placed on the RIAA's list of Songs of the Century.

Along with "Stand By Me", King's songs "There Goes My Baby" and "Spanish Harlem" also appeared on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.[3] His single "Supernatural Thing" also reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, as a member of the Drifters, and has been nominated as a solo artist.[4] Additionally, he was inducted alongside the Drifters into Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000,[5] as well as the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012 (solo).[6]

Early life

Benjamin Earl Nelson was born on September 28, 1938, in Henderson, North Carolina,[2] and moved to Harlem, New York, at the age of nine in 1947.[7] He began singing in church choirs, and in high school formed the Four B's, a doo-wop group that occasionally performed at the Apollo Theater.[8]

Career

 
Ben E King with the Drifters (1959)

The Drifters

In 1958, King (still using his birth name) joined a doo-wop group called the Five Crowns.[8] Later that year, the Drifters' manager George Treadwell fired the members of the original Drifters, and replaced them with the members of the Five Crowns.[9]

King had a string of R&B hits with the group on Atlantic Records. He co-wrote and sang lead on the first Atlantic hit by the new version of The Drifters, "There Goes My Baby" (1959). King sang lead on a succession of hits by the team of Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, including "Save the Last Dance for Me", "This Magic Moment", and "I Count the Tears".[2] He recorded only 13 songs with the Drifters—two backing other lead singers and 11 lead vocal performances—including an unreleased song called "Temptation" (later redone by Drifters vocalist Johnny Moore). The last of the King-led Drifters singles to be released was "Sometimes I Wonder", which was recorded on May 19, 1960, but not issued until June 1962.[10]

Due to contract disputes with Treadwell in which King and his manager, Lover Patterson, demanded greater compensation, King rarely performed with the Drifters on tour or on television. On television, fellow Drifters member Charlie Thomas usually lip-synched the songs that King had recorded with the Drifters.[11]

Solo career

 
King performing at Apollo theater in Harlem (1964)

In May 1960, King left the Drifters,[2] assuming the stage name Ben E. King in preparation for a solo career. Remaining with Atlantic Records on its Atco imprint, King scored his first solo hit with the ballad "Spanish Harlem" (1961).[2]

King's next single, "Stand by Me", written with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, ultimately would be voted as one of the Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America. King cited singers Brook Benton, Roy Hamilton, and Sam Cooke as influences for his vocals of the song.[12] "Stand by Me", "There Goes My Baby", "Spanish Harlem", and "Save the Last Dance for Me" were all named in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll;[13] and each of those records has earned a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.[14] King's other well-known songs include "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)", "Amor", "Seven Letters", "How Can I Forget", "On the Horizon", "Young Boy Blues", "First Taste of Love", "Here Comes the Night", "Ecstasy", and "That's When It Hurts". In the summer of 1963, King had a Top 30 hit with "I (Who Have Nothing)", which reached the Top 10 on New York's radio station, WMCA.[15]

King's records continued to place well on the Billboard Hot 100 chart until 1965. British pop bands began to dominate the pop music scene, but King still continued to make R&B hits. Some of these hits include "What is Soul?", "Tears, Tears, Tears", "So Much Love", and "Til I Can't Take It Anymore". In 1975, King made a comeback on the top 40 Billboard Hot 100 chart with the Disco hit "Supernatural Thing". "Supernatural Thing" peaked at number 5 on Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 1 on the Billboard R&B Charts. It was also nominated for a Grammy at the 18th Annual Grammy Awards in 1975 for "best R&B vocal performance, male". In 1977, King collaborated with Average White Band in releasing the album Benny & Us. The album spawned two top 40 R&B hits, "A Star in the Ghetto" and "Get It Up".

King returned to the Drifters in late 1982 in the United Kingdom and sang with them until the group's break-up and reorganization in 1986.[16] From 1983 until the band's break-up, the other members of this incarnation of the Drifters were Johnny Moore, Joe Blunt, and Clyde Brown.[citation needed]

A 1986 re-issue of "Stand by Me" followed the song's use as the theme song to the movie Stand By Me and re-entered the Billboard top ten after a 25-year absence. This reissue also topped the charts in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland for three weeks in February 1987.[8] The reissue also made King the first act to reach the Hot 100's top 10 in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, either as a member of an act that reached that high (in this case, The Drifters) or as a solo act that did.[17]

In 1990, King and Bo Diddley, along with Doug Lazy, recorded a revamped hip hop version of the Monotones' 1958 hit song "Book of Love" for the soundtrack of the movie Book of Love. He also recorded a children's album, I Have Songs In My Pocket, written and produced by children's music artist Bobby Susser in 1998, which won the Early Childhood News Directors' Choice Award and Dr. Toy's/the Institute for Childhood Resources Award. King performed "Stand by Me" on the Late Show with David Letterman in 2007. Ahmet Ertegun said, "King is one of the greatest singers in the history of rock and roll and rhythm and blues."[18]

As a Drifter and solo artist, King achieved five number-one hits: "There Goes My Baby", "Save the Last Dance for Me", "Stand By Me", "Supernatural Thing", and the 1986 re-issue of "Stand By Me". He also earned 12 Top 10 hits and 26 Top 40 hits from 1959 to 1986. King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a Drifter;[19] he was also nominated as a solo artist.[20]

 
King performing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 31, 2012

King's "I (Who Have Nothing)" was selected for the Sopranos Peppers and Eggs Soundtrack CD (2001).[21]

King was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009.[22]

On March 27, 2012, the Songwriters Hall of Fame announced that "Stand By Me" would receive its 2012 Towering Song Award and that King would be honored with the 2012 Towering Performance Award for his recording of the song.[23]

Later life

King was active in his charitable foundation, the Stand By Me Foundation, which helps to provide education to deserving youths.[12][24] He was a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey, from the late 1960s onwards.[25]

King performed "Stand By Me" during a televised tribute to late comedian George Carlin, as he was one of Carlin's favorite artists.[26]

On November 11, 2010, King performed "Stand By Me" at the Latin Grammys with Prince Royce.[27]

King toured the United Kingdom in 2013 and played concerts in the United States as late as 2014, despite reported health problems.[28]

Following a brief illness, King died at Hackensack University Medical Center on April 30, 2015, at the age of 76.[28][29][30] He was married for fifty years and had three children and six grandchildren.[31]

Legacy

King has been covered by acts from several genres. "So Much Love" was recorded by Dusty Springfield and many others.[32] "I (Who Have Nothing)" was performed by Shirley Bassey in 1963 and also by Tom Jones in 1970, as well as a 1979 recording by Sylvester. "Till I Can't Take It Anymore" was revisited by peer Ray Charles in 1970 and "Spanish Harlem" was sung by Aretha Franklin in 1971. "Stand by Me" was covered by The Righteous Brothers, Otis Redding, John Lennon, Mickey Gilley, Florence + The Machine, and Tracy Chapman. The song forms the basis for the Indian hit "Dildaara" by songwriters Vishal–Shekhar. King also inspired a number of rock bands: Siouxsie and the Banshees recorded "Supernatural Thing" in 1981 and Led Zeppelin did a cover version of "Groovin'", which is better known under the title of "We're Gonna Groove".[33]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Year Peak chart positions
US
[34][35]
US
R&B

[36]
UK
[37]
Spanish Harlem 1961 30
Ben E. King Sings for Soulful Lovers 1962
Don't Play That Song!
Young Boy Blues 1964
Seven Letters 1965
What Is Soul 1967
Rough Edges 1970
The Beginning of It All 1972
Supernatural 1975 39 13
I Had a Love 1976
Rhapsody
Benny And Us
(with Average White Band)
1977 33
Let Me Live in Your Life 1978
Music Trance 1980 73
What Is Soul 1981
Street Tough
Save the Last Dance for Me 1987
What's Important to Me 1991 82
Shades of Blue 1993
I Have Songs In My Pocket 1998
Soul Masters 2005
I've Been Around 2006
Love Is Gonna Get You 2007
White Christmas 2008
Heart & Soul 2010
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Live album

Title Year Peak chart positions
US
[34]
US
R&B

[36]
Person to Person: Live at the Blue Note 2003 30

Compilation albums

Title Year Peak chart positions
US
[34]
US
R&B

[36]
GER
[38]
SWI
[39]
UK
[37]
Ben E. King's Greatest Hits 1964
Stand by Me: The Ultimate Collection 1987 35 18 14
The Very Best of Ben E. King and the Drifters
(with The Drifters)
1990 15
Anthology 1993
The Very Best of Ben E. King 1998
Eleven Best 2001
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

As lead of The Drifters

Title Year Peak chart positions
US
[40]
US
R&B

[41]
BEL
(FL)

[42]
BEL
(WA)

[42]
GER
[42]
NL
[42]
NOR
[42]
UK
[43]
"There Goes My Baby" 1959 2 1
"Dance with Me" 15 2 17
"This Magic Moment" 1960 16 4
"Lonely Winds" 54 9
"Save the Last Dance for Me" 1 1 2 2 2 1 3 2
"I Count the Tears" 17 6 28
"Sometimes I Wonder" 1962
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

As a solo artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications
US
[44]
US
R&B

[36]
BEL
(FL)

[45]
BEL
(WA)

[46]
GER
[38]
NL
[47]
NOR
[48]
NZ
[49]
SWI
[39]
UK
[37]
"Show Me the Way" 1960
"A Help-Each-Other Romance"
(with LaVern Baker)
"First Taste of Love" 53 27
"Spanish Harlem"
(original or 1987 reissue)
10 15 92
"Stand by Me"
(original or 1987 reissue)
1961 4 1 4 46 2 11 9 45 3 1
"Amor" 18 10 17 38
"Here Comes the Night" 81 81
"Young Boy Blues" 66
"Ecstasy" 1962 56
"Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" 11 2 11
"Too Bad" 88
"I'm Standing By" 111
"Tell Daddy" 122 29
"How Can I Forget" 1963 85 23
"I (Who Have Nothing)" 29 16
"I Could Have Danced All Night" 72
"What Now My Love" 1964 102
"That's When It Hurts" 63 17
"Amore Quando"
"What Can a Man Do" 113 39
"It's All Over" 72 40
"Seven Letters" 45 11
"The Record (Baby I Love You)" 1965 84 24
"She's Gone Again" 128
"Cry No More"
"Goodnight My Love" 91
"So Much Love" 1966 96
"I Swear by Stars Above" 35
"What Is Soul?" 38
"Tears, Tears, Tears" 1967 93 34
"Katherine"
"Don't Take Your Sweet Love Away"
"We Got a Thing Goin' On"
(with Dee Dee Sharp)
1968 127
"Don't Take Your Love from Me" 117 44
"Soul Meeting"
(as part of The Soul Clan)
37
"It's Amazing"
"Til I Can't Take It Anymore" 134 37
"Hey Little One" 1969
"I Can't Take It Like a Man" 45
"In the Midnight Hour/Lay Lady Lay" 1970
"Take Me to the Pilot" 1972
"Into the Mystic"
"Spread Myself Around" 1973
"Supernatural Thing" 1975 5 1 49
"Do It in the Name of Love" 60 4
"I Had a Love" 23
"I Betcha Didn't Know That" 1976
"Somebody's Knocking"
"Get It Up"
(with Average White Band)
1977 21 39
"A Star in the Ghetto"
(with Average White Band)
25
"Tippin" 1978
"Spoiled"
"Music Trance" 1980 29
"Street Tough" 1981
"Souvenirs of Love"
"Save the Last Dance for Me"
(re-recording)
1987 60 69
"What's Important to Me" 1991
"You've Got All of Me" 1992
"You Still Move Me"
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

References

  1. ^ "King, Ben E." Veromi. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e Strong, Martin C. (1998). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 531–532. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  3. ^ "500 Songs That Shaped Rock".
  4. ^ "The Drifters | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame". www.rockhall.com. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  5. ^ "Ben E. King and The Drifters – The Vocal Group Hall of Fame". Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  6. ^ "Ben E. King | Songwriters Hall of Fame". www.songhall.org. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  7. ^ "'Stand By Me' singer Ben E. King dies at age 76". PIX11 News. May 1, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  8. ^ a b c Grimes, William (May 1, 2015). "Ben E. King, Soulful Singer, Dies at 76; 'Stand by Me' Was One of His Hits". The New York Times. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  9. ^ Jones, Soul (June 1, 2011). "Soul Jones Words: Play It Again, Ben - Ben E. King Interview". Souljoneswords.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
  10. ^ Goldberg, Marv. "Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks: The Later Drifters". Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  11. ^ Fontenot, Robert. "The Life and Times of Ben E. King". About.com. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Ben E King: R&B legend dies at 76". BBC News. May 1, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  13. ^ "Experience The Music: One Hit Wonders and the Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  14. ^ "Ben E. King, 'Stand By Me' Singer and Member of the Drifters, Dies at 76". Variety. May 1, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  15. ^ Farber, Jim (May 1, 2015). "Ben E. King, soul legend who sang 'Stand By Me,' dead at 76". The New York Daily News. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  16. ^ "BEN E. KING (1938-2015)". blackpast.org. November 25, 2018.
  17. ^ Casey Kasem, "American Top 40", January 17, 1987.
  18. ^ . Beneking.info. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
  19. ^ "The Drifters Biography". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  20. ^ "Ben E. King, soul legend and singer of 'Stand By Me', dead at 76". Associated Press. May 1, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  21. ^ "The Sopranos: Peppers & Eggs (Music From the HBO Original Series)". AllMusic. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  22. ^ "2009 Inductees". North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
  23. ^ "Stand By Me Named Towering Song, Ben E. King Towering Performance, Lance Freed Abe Olman Publisher". SongHall. March 27, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
  24. ^ "The Ben E. King Stand By Me Foundation". Benekingstandbyme.org. August 11, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
  25. ^ Beckerman, Jim. "Ben E. King can't stop the music"[permanent dead link], The Record (Bergen County), May 10, 2008. Accessed March 1, 2009.
  26. ^ Wloszczyna, Suan (November 11, 2008). "Comics toast Carlin at Mark Twain ceremony". USA Today. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  27. ^ Strang, Fay (May 1, 2015). "Ben E King dead: Stand By Me singer dies aged 76". Mirror. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  28. ^ a b Furness, Hannah (May 1, 2015). "Stand By Me singer Ben E King dies at 76". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  29. ^ "R&B legend Ben E King dies at 76". BBC. May 1, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  30. ^ Grimes, William (May 1, 2015). "Ben E. King, Soulful Singer of 'Stand by Me,' Dies at 76". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  31. ^ Fernandez, Maritza (November 25, 2018). "BEN E. KING (1938-2015)". BlackPast.org. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  32. ^ Bret, David (2014). Brit Girls of the Sixties: Kathy Kirby + Dusty Springfield + Cilla Black + Helen Shapiro + Marianne Faithfull + Sandie Shaw + Lulu. Lulu Press.
  33. ^ Lewis, Dave (2012). From A Whisper to A Scream: The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin. Music Sales Group.
  34. ^ a b c "Ben E. King Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  35. ^ "Benny And Us charting: Billboard 200 Week of September 10, 1977". Billboard. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  36. ^ a b c d "Ben E. King Chart History: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  37. ^ a b c "Ben E. King". Official Charts. The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  38. ^ a b "Discographie Von Ben E. King". Offizielle Deutsche Charts (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  39. ^ a b "Discographie Ben E. King". Swiss Hitparade (in German). Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  40. ^ Billboard Hot 100 positions for The Drifters' singles:
    • "There Goes My Baby": "Billboard Hot 100 Week of August 17, 1959". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
    • "Dance with Me": "Billboard Hot 100 Week of November 30, 1959". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
    • "This Magic Moment": "Billboard Hot 100 Week of March 28, 1960". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
    • "Lonely Winds": "Billboard Hot 100 Week of July 4, 1960". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
    • "Save the Last Dance for Me": "Billboard Hot 100 Week of November 7, 1960". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
    • "I Count the Tears": "Billboard Hot 100 Week of February 6, 1961". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  41. ^ Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs positions for The Drifters' singles:
    • "There Goes My Baby": "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Week of July 27, 1959". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
    • "Dance with Me": "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Week of November 23, 1959". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
    • "Save the Last Dance for Me": "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Week of October 31, 1960". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  42. ^ a b c d e "The Drifters - Save The Last Dance For Me". Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  43. ^ "Drifters". Official Charts. The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  44. ^ "Ben E. King Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  45. ^ "Discografie Ben E. King". Ultratop Flanders (in Dutch). Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  46. ^ "Discographie Ben E. King". Ultratop Wallonia (in French). Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  47. ^ "Discografie Ben E. King". Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  48. ^ "Discography Ben E. King". Norwegian Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  49. ^ "Discography Ben E. King". Charts New Zealand. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  50. ^ "British certifications – Ben E. King – Stand by Me". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 3, 2022.

External links

  • Official website  
  • Ben E. King discography at Discogs  

king, other, people, with, similar, names, king, disambiguation, benjamin, earl, king, nelson, september, 1938, april, 2015, american, soul, singer, record, producer, king, 1960sbackground, informationbirth, namebenjamin, earl, nelsonborn, 1938, september, 193. For other people with similar names see Ben King disambiguation Benjamin Earl King 1 ne Nelson September 28 1938 April 30 2015 was an American soul and R amp B singer and record producer Ben E KingKing in the 1960sBackground informationBirth nameBenjamin Earl NelsonBorn 1938 09 28 September 28 1938Henderson North Carolina U S OriginHarlem New York U S DiedApril 30 2015 2015 04 30 aged 76 Hackensack New Jersey U S GenresSoulR amp Bpopdoo wopOccupation s Singer songwriter record producerInstrument s VocalspianoYears active1958 2015LabelsAtco RecordsAtlantic RecordsIchiban RecordsWebsitebeneking wbr info He rose to prominence as one of the principal lead singers of the R amp B vocal group The Drifters notably singing the lead vocals of one of their biggest global hit singles and only U S No 1 hit Save the Last Dance for Me 2 As a soloist King is best known as the singer and co composer of Stand by Me which became a US Top 10 hit both in 1961 and later in 1986 when it was used as the theme to the film of the same name and a number one hit in the United Kingdom in 1987 It was also placed on the RIAA s list of Songs of the Century Along with Stand By Me King s songs There Goes My Baby and Spanish Harlem also appeared on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame s list of 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll 3 His single Supernatural Thing also reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 as a member of the Drifters and has been nominated as a solo artist 4 Additionally he was inducted alongside the Drifters into Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000 5 as well as the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012 solo 6 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2 1 The Drifters 2 2 Solo career 3 Later life 4 Legacy 5 Discography 5 1 Studio albums 5 2 Live album 5 3 Compilation albums 5 4 Singles 5 4 1 As lead of The Drifters 5 4 2 As a solo artist 6 References 7 External linksEarly life EditBenjamin Earl Nelson was born on September 28 1938 in Henderson North Carolina 2 and moved to Harlem New York at the age of nine in 1947 7 He began singing in church choirs and in high school formed the Four B s a doo wop group that occasionally performed at the Apollo Theater 8 Career Edit Ben E King with the Drifters 1959 The Drifters Edit In 1958 King still using his birth name joined a doo wop group called the Five Crowns 8 Later that year the Drifters manager George Treadwell fired the members of the original Drifters and replaced them with the members of the Five Crowns 9 King had a string of R amp B hits with the group on Atlantic Records He co wrote and sang lead on the first Atlantic hit by the new version of The Drifters There Goes My Baby 1959 King sang lead on a succession of hits by the team of Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman including Save the Last Dance for Me This Magic Moment and I Count the Tears 2 He recorded only 13 songs with the Drifters two backing other lead singers and 11 lead vocal performances including an unreleased song called Temptation later redone by Drifters vocalist Johnny Moore The last of the King led Drifters singles to be released was Sometimes I Wonder which was recorded on May 19 1960 but not issued until June 1962 10 Due to contract disputes with Treadwell in which King and his manager Lover Patterson demanded greater compensation King rarely performed with the Drifters on tour or on television On television fellow Drifters member Charlie Thomas usually lip synched the songs that King had recorded with the Drifters 11 Solo career Edit King performing at Apollo theater in Harlem 1964 In May 1960 King left the Drifters 2 assuming the stage name Ben E King in preparation for a solo career Remaining with Atlantic Records on its Atco imprint King scored his first solo hit with the ballad Spanish Harlem 1961 2 King s next single Stand by Me written with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller ultimately would be voted as one of the Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America King cited singers Brook Benton Roy Hamilton and Sam Cooke as influences for his vocals of the song 12 Stand by Me There Goes My Baby Spanish Harlem and Save the Last Dance for Me were all named in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll 13 and each of those records has earned a Grammy Hall of Fame Award 14 King s other well known songs include Don t Play That Song You Lied Amor Seven Letters How Can I Forget On the Horizon Young Boy Blues First Taste of Love Here Comes the Night Ecstasy and That s When It Hurts In the summer of 1963 King had a Top 30 hit with I Who Have Nothing which reached the Top 10 on New York s radio station WMCA 15 King s records continued to place well on the Billboard Hot 100 chart until 1965 British pop bands began to dominate the pop music scene but King still continued to make R amp B hits Some of these hits include What is Soul Tears Tears Tears So Much Love and Til I Can t Take It Anymore In 1975 King made a comeback on the top 40 Billboard Hot 100 chart with the Disco hit Supernatural Thing Supernatural Thing peaked at number 5 on Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 1 on the Billboard R amp B Charts It was also nominated for a Grammy at the 18th Annual Grammy Awards in 1975 for best R amp B vocal performance male In 1977 King collaborated with Average White Band in releasing the album Benny amp Us The album spawned two top 40 R amp B hits A Star in the Ghetto and Get It Up King returned to the Drifters in late 1982 in the United Kingdom and sang with them until the group s break up and reorganization in 1986 16 From 1983 until the band s break up the other members of this incarnation of the Drifters were Johnny Moore Joe Blunt and Clyde Brown citation needed A 1986 re issue of Stand by Me followed the song s use as the theme song to the movie Stand By Me and re entered the Billboard top ten after a 25 year absence This reissue also topped the charts in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland for three weeks in February 1987 8 The reissue also made King the first act to reach the Hot 100 s top 10 in the 1950s 1960s 1970s and 1980s either as a member of an act that reached that high in this case The Drifters or as a solo act that did 17 In 1990 King and Bo Diddley along with Doug Lazy recorded a revamped hip hop version of the Monotones 1958 hit song Book of Love for the soundtrack of the movie Book of Love He also recorded a children s album I Have Songs In My Pocket written and produced by children s music artist Bobby Susser in 1998 which won the Early Childhood News Directors Choice Award and Dr Toy s the Institute for Childhood Resources Award King performed Stand by Me on the Late Show with David Letterman in 2007 Ahmet Ertegun said King is one of the greatest singers in the history of rock and roll and rhythm and blues 18 As a Drifter and solo artist King achieved five number one hits There Goes My Baby Save the Last Dance for Me Stand By Me Supernatural Thing and the 1986 re issue of Stand By Me He also earned 12 Top 10 hits and 26 Top 40 hits from 1959 to 1986 King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a Drifter 19 he was also nominated as a solo artist 20 King performing at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston Massachusetts on March 31 2012 King s I Who Have Nothing was selected for the Sopranos Peppers and Eggs Soundtrack CD 2001 21 King was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009 22 On March 27 2012 the Songwriters Hall of Fame announced that Stand By Me would receive its 2012 Towering Song Award and that King would be honored with the 2012 Towering Performance Award for his recording of the song 23 Later life EditKing was active in his charitable foundation the Stand By Me Foundation which helps to provide education to deserving youths 12 24 He was a resident of Teaneck New Jersey from the late 1960s onwards 25 King performed Stand By Me during a televised tribute to late comedian George Carlin as he was one of Carlin s favorite artists 26 On November 11 2010 King performed Stand By Me at the Latin Grammys with Prince Royce 27 King toured the United Kingdom in 2013 and played concerts in the United States as late as 2014 despite reported health problems 28 Following a brief illness King died at Hackensack University Medical Center on April 30 2015 at the age of 76 28 29 30 He was married for fifty years and had three children and six grandchildren 31 Legacy EditKing has been covered by acts from several genres So Much Love was recorded by Dusty Springfield and many others 32 I Who Have Nothing was performed by Shirley Bassey in 1963 and also by Tom Jones in 1970 as well as a 1979 recording by Sylvester Till I Can t Take It Anymore was revisited by peer Ray Charles in 1970 and Spanish Harlem was sung by Aretha Franklin in 1971 Stand by Me was covered by The Righteous Brothers Otis Redding John Lennon Mickey Gilley Florence The Machine and Tracy Chapman The song forms the basis for the Indian hit Dildaara by songwriters Vishal Shekhar King also inspired a number of rock bands Siouxsie and the Banshees recorded Supernatural Thing in 1981 and Led Zeppelin did a cover version of Groovin which is better known under the title of We re Gonna Groove 33 Discography EditStudio albums Edit Title Year Peak chart positionsUS 34 35 USR amp B 36 UK 37 Spanish Harlem 1961 30Ben E King Sings for Soulful Lovers 1962 Don t Play That Song Young Boy Blues 1964 Seven Letters 1965 What Is Soul 1967 Rough Edges 1970 The Beginning of It All 1972 Supernatural 1975 39 13 I Had a Love 1976 Rhapsody Benny And Us with Average White Band 1977 33 Let Me Live in Your Life 1978 Music Trance 1980 73 What Is Soul 1981 Street Tough Save the Last Dance for Me 1987 What s Important to Me 1991 82 Shades of Blue 1993 I Have Songs In My Pocket 1998 Soul Masters 2005 I ve Been Around 2006 Love Is Gonna Get You 2007 White Christmas 2008 Heart amp Soul 2010 denotes releases that did not chart Live album Edit Title Year Peak chart positionsUS 34 USR amp B 36 Person to Person Live at the Blue Note 2003 30Compilation albums Edit Title Year Peak chart positionsUS 34 USR amp B 36 GER 38 SWI 39 UK 37 Ben E King s Greatest Hits 1964 Stand by Me The Ultimate Collection 1987 35 18 14The Very Best of Ben E King and the Drifters with The Drifters 1990 15Anthology 1993 The Very Best of Ben E King 1998 Eleven Best 2001 denotes releases that did not chart Singles Edit As lead of The Drifters Edit Title Year Peak chart positionsUS 40 USR amp B 41 BEL FL 42 BEL WA 42 GER 42 NL 42 NOR 42 UK 43 There Goes My Baby 1959 2 1 Dance with Me 15 2 17 This Magic Moment 1960 16 4 Lonely Winds 54 9 Save the Last Dance for Me 1 1 2 2 2 1 3 2 I Count the Tears 17 6 28 Sometimes I Wonder 1962 denotes releases that did not chart As a solo artist Edit Title Year Peak chart positions CertificationsUS 44 USR amp B 36 BEL FL 45 BEL WA 46 GER 38 NL 47 NOR 48 NZ 49 SWI 39 UK 37 Show Me the Way 1960 A Help Each Other Romance with LaVern Baker First Taste of Love 53 27 Spanish Harlem original or 1987 reissue 10 15 92 Stand by Me original or 1987 reissue 1961 4 1 4 46 2 11 9 45 3 1 BPI 2 Platinum 50 Amor 18 10 17 38 Here Comes the Night 81 81 Young Boy Blues 66 Ecstasy 1962 56 Don t Play That Song You Lied 11 2 11 Too Bad 88 I m Standing By 111 Tell Daddy 122 29 How Can I Forget 1963 85 23 I Who Have Nothing 29 16 I Could Have Danced All Night 72 What Now My Love 1964 102 That s When It Hurts 63 17 Amore Quando What Can a Man Do 113 39 It s All Over 72 40 Seven Letters 45 11 The Record Baby I Love You 1965 84 24 She s Gone Again 128 Cry No More Goodnight My Love 91 So Much Love 1966 96 I Swear by Stars Above 35 What Is Soul 38 Tears Tears Tears 1967 93 34 Katherine Don t Take Your Sweet Love Away We Got a Thing Goin On with Dee Dee Sharp 1968 127 Don t Take Your Love from Me 117 44 Soul Meeting as part of The Soul Clan 37 It s Amazing Til I Can t Take It Anymore 134 37 Hey Little One 1969 I Can t Take It Like a Man 45 In the Midnight Hour Lay Lady Lay 1970 Take Me to the Pilot 1972 Into the Mystic Spread Myself Around 1973 Supernatural Thing 1975 5 1 49 Do It in the Name of Love 60 4 I Had a Love 23 I Betcha Didn t Know That 1976 Somebody s Knocking Get It Up with Average White Band 1977 21 39 A Star in the Ghetto with Average White Band 25 Tippin 1978 Spoiled Music Trance 1980 29 Street Tough 1981 Souvenirs of Love Save the Last Dance for Me re recording 1987 60 69 What s Important to Me 1991 You ve Got All of Me 1992 You Still Move Me denotes releases that did not chart or was not released in that territory References Edit King Ben E Veromi Retrieved March 5 2010 a b c d e Strong Martin C 1998 The Great Rock Discography 5th ed Edinburgh Mojo Books pp 531 532 ISBN 1 84195 017 3 500 Songs That Shaped Rock The Drifters Rock amp Roll Hall of Fame www rockhall com Retrieved December 30 2022 Ben E King and The Drifters The Vocal Group Hall of Fame Retrieved December 30 2022 Ben E King Songwriters Hall of Fame www songhall org Retrieved December 30 2022 Stand By Me singer Ben E King dies at age 76 PIX11 News May 1 2015 Retrieved May 1 2015 a b c Grimes William May 1 2015 Ben E King Soulful Singer Dies at 76 Stand by Me Was One of His Hits The New York Times Retrieved May 1 2015 Jones Soul June 1 2011 Soul Jones Words Play It Again Ben Ben E King Interview Souljoneswords blogspot co uk Retrieved April 19 2014 Goldberg Marv Marv Goldberg s R amp B Notebooks The Later Drifters Retrieved October 24 2013 Fontenot Robert The Life and Times of Ben E King About com Retrieved May 1 2015 a b Ben E King R amp B legend dies at 76 BBC News May 1 2015 Retrieved May 1 2015 Experience The Music One Hit Wonders and the Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll Rock amp Roll Hall of Fame Retrieved May 1 2015 Ben E King Stand By Me Singer and Member of the Drifters Dies at 76 Variety May 1 2015 Retrieved May 1 2015 Farber Jim May 1 2015 Ben E King soul legend who sang Stand By Me dead at 76 The New York Daily News Retrieved May 1 2015 BEN E KING 1938 2015 blackpast org November 25 2018 Casey Kasem American Top 40 January 17 1987 Ben E King Beneking info Archived from the original on October 6 2014 Retrieved April 19 2014 The Drifters Biography Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Retrieved May 1 2015 Ben E King soul legend and singer of Stand By Me dead at 76 Associated Press May 1 2015 Retrieved May 1 2015 The Sopranos Peppers amp Eggs Music From the HBO Original Series AllMusic Retrieved May 1 2015 2009 Inductees North Carolina Music Hall of Fame Retrieved September 10 2012 Stand By Me Named Towering Song Ben E King Towering Performance Lance Freed Abe Olman Publisher SongHall March 27 2012 Retrieved April 19 2014 The Ben E King Stand By Me Foundation Benekingstandbyme org August 11 2011 Retrieved April 19 2014 Beckerman Jim Ben E King can t stop the music permanent dead link The Record Bergen County May 10 2008 Accessed March 1 2009 Wloszczyna Suan November 11 2008 Comics toast Carlin at Mark Twain ceremony USA Today Retrieved May 1 2015 Strang Fay May 1 2015 Ben E King dead Stand By Me singer dies aged 76 Mirror Retrieved May 1 2015 a b Furness Hannah May 1 2015 Stand By Me singer Ben E King dies at 76 The Daily Telegraph Archived from the original on January 12 2022 Retrieved May 1 2015 R amp B legend Ben E King dies at 76 BBC May 1 2015 Retrieved May 1 2015 Grimes William May 1 2015 Ben E King Soulful Singer of Stand by Me Dies at 76 The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved August 17 2021 Fernandez Maritza November 25 2018 BEN E KING 1938 2015 BlackPast org Retrieved March 23 2023 Bret David 2014 Brit Girls of the Sixties Kathy Kirby Dusty Springfield Cilla Black Helen Shapiro Marianne Faithfull Sandie Shaw Lulu Lulu Press Lewis Dave 2012 From A Whisper to A Scream The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin Music Sales Group a b c Ben E King Chart History Billboard 200 Billboard Retrieved July 27 2021 Benny And Us charting Billboard 200 Week of September 10 1977 Billboard Retrieved July 27 2021 a b c d Ben E King Chart History Top R amp B Hip Hop Albums Billboard Retrieved July 27 2021 a b c Ben E King Official Charts The Official UK Charts Company Retrieved July 27 2021 a b Discographie Von Ben E King Offizielle Deutsche Charts in German GfK Entertainment Retrieved July 27 2021 a b Discographie Ben E King Swiss Hitparade in German Retrieved July 27 2021 Billboard Hot 100 positions for The Drifters singles There Goes My Baby Billboard Hot 100 Week of August 17 1959 Billboard Retrieved July 28 2021 Dance with Me Billboard Hot 100 Week of November 30 1959 Billboard Retrieved July 31 2021 This Magic Moment Billboard Hot 100 Week of March 28 1960 Billboard Retrieved July 31 2021 Lonely Winds Billboard Hot 100 Week of July 4 1960 Billboard Retrieved July 31 2021 Save the Last Dance for Me Billboard Hot 100 Week of November 7 1960 Billboard Retrieved July 31 2021 I Count the Tears Billboard Hot 100 Week of February 6 1961 Billboard Retrieved July 31 2021 Billboard Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs positions for The Drifters singles There Goes My Baby Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Week of July 27 1959 Billboard Retrieved July 28 2021 Dance with Me Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Week of November 23 1959 Billboard Retrieved July 31 2021 Save the Last Dance for Me Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Week of October 31 1960 Billboard Retrieved July 31 2021 a b c d e The Drifters Save The Last Dance For Me Dutch Charts in Dutch Retrieved July 28 2021 Drifters Official Charts The Official UK Charts Company Retrieved July 28 2021 Ben E King Chart History Hot 100 Billboard Retrieved July 28 2021 Discografie Ben E King Ultratop Flanders in Dutch Retrieved July 31 2021 Discographie Ben E King Ultratop Wallonia in French Retrieved July 31 2021 Discografie Ben E King Dutch Charts in Dutch Retrieved July 31 2021 Discography Ben E King Norwegian Charts Hung Medien Retrieved July 31 2021 Discography Ben E King Charts New Zealand Hung Medien Retrieved July 31 2021 British certifications Ben E King Stand by Me British Phonographic Industry Retrieved April 3 2022 External links EditOfficial website Ben E King discography at Discogs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ben E King amp oldid 1151845779, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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