Ben E King
| Ben E. King | |
|---|---|
Ben E. King, 2007
|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Benjamin Earl Nelson |
| Also known as | Ben E. King |
| Born |
September 28, 1938 Henderson, North Carolina, United States |
| Origin | Harlem, New York |
| Died | April 30, 2015 (aged 76) Hackensack, New Jersey, United States |
| Genres | Soul, R&B, pop, doo-wop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, record producer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1958–2015 |
| Labels |
Atco Records Atlantic Records Ichiban Records |
| Associated acts |
The Drifters The Five Crowns |
| Website |
www |
Benjamin Earl King (September 28, 1938 – April 30, 2015), known as Ben E. King, was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He was perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me"—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), a number one hit in the UK in 1987, and no. 25 on the RIAA's list of Songs of the Century—and 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. #1 hit) "Save the Last Dance for Me".
King was born, with the birth name of Benjamin Earl Nelson, on September 28, 1938, in Henderson, North Carolina, and moved to Harlem, New York, at the age of nine in 1947. King began singing in church choirs, and in high school formed the Four B’s, a doo-wop group that occasionally performed at the Apollo.
In 1958, King (still using his birth name) joined a doo-wop group called the Five Crowns. 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. 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). He also 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". King recorded only thirteen songs with the Drifters—two backing other lead singers and eleven lead vocal performances—including a non-single 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 May 19, 1960, but not issued until June 1962.
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