ABOUT
Ben E. King (September 28, 1938 - April 30, 2015) was a highly acclaimed and veteran R&B/soul singer-songwriter with a great deal of crossover appeal who became famous beginning in the late 1950s as a member of The Drifters before going solo. He is best known for the inspirational oldies classic, "Stand By Me" (1961) which he co-wrote with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
Born Benjamin Earl Nelson in Henderson, North Carolina, he moved to Harlem, New York at age nine. In 1958, he joined a doo-wop group known as the Five Crowns whose members would later become The Drifters after that group's manager fired the original members. The Drifters had a long string of hits through the late 1960s; those that featured King as lead singer include "There Goes My Baby" (1959), "This Magic Moment" (1960), and the chart-topping "Save The Last Dance For Me" (1960).
In 1960, Ben E. King left The Drifters to go solo, taking the stage name Ben E. King, and debuted in 1960 with "Spanish Harlem." Shortly thereafter, King released what would come to be known as his signature song, "Stand By Me," which topped the R&B charts and made the Pop/Rock Top 10. This smash recharted many years later in 1986 when it was used as the title theme to the movie released that same year starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O'Connell. Over the years, "Stand By Me" has been covered by numerous bands and artists and has received many accolades. This beloved pop standard is included in the RIAA's list of Songs of the Century and in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. "Stand By Me," "Spanish Harlem," and "There Goes My Baby" are all included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's list of 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, and along with "Save The Last Dance For Me," they also received Grammy Hall of Fame awards.
King's long string of solo hits also includes "Amor" (1961), "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" (1962), "I (Who Have Nothing)" (1963), and "Supernatural Thing - Part I" (1975). He founded the Ben E King Stand By Me Foundation, a charity dedicated to helping young people further their education. His numerous honors and accolades included being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 as a member of The Drifters.
LINKS
- The BBC remembers Ben E. King.
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SONGS
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Ben E. King
- Amor 1961
(This song later also became a hit for Roger Williams (1962).) - Don't Play That Song (You Lied) 1962
(This song later also became a hit for Aretha Franklin (1970).) - I (Who Have Nothing) 1963
(This song later also became a hit for Terry Knight (1967), Tom Jones (1970), Liquid Smoke (1970), and Sylvester (1979).) - Spanish Harlem 1960
(This song later also became a hit for King Curtis (1966) and Aretha Franklin (1971).) - Stand By Me 1961
(This oldies classic later also became a hit for Earl Grant (1965), Spyder Turner (1967), David & Jimmy Ruffin (1970), John Lennon (1975), Mickey Gilley (1980), Maurice White (1985), and 4 The Cause (1998). Ben E. King's version of "Stand By Me" was used as the title theme for the 1986 movie, and this song recharted that same year.) - Supernatural Thing - Part I 1975
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