Ben E. King ()
Born Benjamin Earl Nelson on September 28, , in Henderson, North Carolina, he and his family moved to Harlem, New York, when he was nine years old. There, he worked in his father’s luncheonette, sang in church, and formed a doo-wop group called “The Four B’s.” The band consisted of two twin brothers, a friend, and Ben himself, all of whom had names beginning with the letter B. The Four B’s performed at the Apollo Theater in for a talent contest and won second place.
In , year-old Ben joined another doo-wop band called the Five Crowns after being spotted by local talent manager Lover Patterson. As long as it didn’t interfere with helping at the restaurant, Ben Nelson was free to join in and have fun. In , while performing at the Apollo Theater at the same time as the original members of The Drifters, the Crowns attracted the attention of George Treadwell, the owner of the name “The Drifters.” Increasingly unimpressed by his singers, who remained after lead singer Clyde McPhatter was drafted into the Army, Treadwell hired the Crowns and renamed them the Drifters. In this period with King as the lead singer, the Drifters had hits such as the single “There Goes My B
Ben E. King
| One of the classics of soul music Date of Birth: Country: USA |
Content:
- Ben E. King: The Soulful Crooner
- The Drifters Years ()
- Solo Success and "Stand By Me" (s)
- Legacy and Impact
Ben E. King: The Soulful Crooner
Ben E. King emerged as one of the defining voices of soul music in the late s and early s, crafting a sound that captivated audiences and transcended racial boundaries.
The Drifters Years ()
Born in Harlem, King initially sang with the semi-professional group The Five Crowns. In , he was recruited by producer George Treadwell to join the renowned vocal ensemble The Drifters. As the group's frontman, King's rich baritone brought R&B to prominence among white listeners. He famously replaced the troubled lead singer on the legendary recording of "There Goes My Baby," launching The Drifters into superstardom.
King's voice graced a string of Drifters hits in , including "Dance With Me," "This Magic Moment," "I Count the Tears," and the chart-topping "Save the Last Dance for Me." However, tensions over pay disputes pushed King to leave the group and embark on a solo career.
Solo Success and "Stand By Me" (s)
As a solo artist, King c
Ben E. King
Ben E. King is an American singer-songwriter and producer whose iconic hit Stand By Me has cemented his place in the history of music. He died of coronary problems at the age of 76 on April 30, , at the Hackensack University Medical Center.
Early Life and Background
Ben E. King was born on September 28, , as Benjamin Earl Nelson in Henderson, North Carolina. At the age of 9, his family relocated to Harlem, New York where he spent his childhood. As a child, King was an active member of the church choir and even formed his musical group in high school called the Four B’s. At the age of 20, he joined the musical group called the Five Crowns in
King and The Drifters
The Five Crowns group, of which Ben E. King was newly a member of, later replaced the original line-up of another musical group called The Drifters under the instruction of George Treadwell. The Drifters was under the label of Atlantic Records and released their first hit single, There Goes My Baby, in From there, they released a string of successful tracks such as Save The Last Dance For Me,I Count The Tears, This Magic Moment, and Dance With Me.
He initia
Early life
King was born Benjamin Earl Nelson on September 28, in Henderson, North Carolina,[2] and moved to Harlem, New York, at age 9.
Career
In , King (still using his birth name) joined a doo wop group called The Five Crowns. Later in , 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" (). 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."[2] 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, fell
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