‘Stand By Me’ singer Ben E. King dies

King was born Benjamin Earl Nelson on September 28, 1938 in Henderson, North Carolina and passed away yesterday from natural causes

In 1958, King (still using his birth name) joined a doo wop group called The Five Crowns. Later in 1958, The Drifters’ manager George Treadwell fired the members of the original Drifters, and replaced them with 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 only recorded 13 songs with The Drifters, including a non-single called “Temptation” (later redone by Drifters vocalist Johnny Moore).

Due to a dispute over his contract, including a salary increase and a fair share of royalties, King was never again given a chance by Drifters manager George Treadwell to perform with the group on tour or on television. After the dispute settled, King was hired only to sing until a replacement for him was found. On television, fellow Drifters member Charlie Thomas usually lip synched the songs that King had recorded with the Drifters. This end gave rise to a new beginning. In May 1960, King left the Drifters, assuming the more memorable stage name Ben E. King in preparation for a successful solo career. Remaining on Atlantic Records on its Atco imprint, King scored his first solo hit with the ballad “Spanish Harlem” (1961). His 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. “Stand by Me,” “There Goes My Baby,” and “Spanish Harlem” were named as three of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and were all given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award .

After a 25-year absence. In 1990, King and Bo Diddley, along with Doug Lazy, recorded a revamped rap 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.”

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