He is well known for the hit classic songs "Stand By Me" and "Save the Last Dance for Me", that he sang with soulful voice. That voice that generations of listeners have learned to love with devotion has become silent. The voice is of the soul singer Ben E. King who died Thursday, ni New Jersey ay the age of 76.
Ben E. King, whose full name is Benjamin Earl Nelson, was born in North Carolina, USA. His parents moved to Harlem, New York when King was a
boy. He worked in his father's business and sang in a church choir. He then joined a doo-woop band called "The Drifters." The Difters become very famous with their song "Save the Last Dance for Me" The Difters" (listen on YouTube, Here)
Ben King, however become more known for the gospel inspired song he composed wth Elmo Glick, "Stand By Me (watch on YouTube)," which become a top hit in the United States in 1961. Elmo Click was a collective pseudonym for the team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
In 1986, the song was again highliighted Bob Reiner's movie, "Stand By Me", which again hit the top of charts. Since then, the song has been featured in several social accasioons, including weddings and other romantic rendez-vous across the World. Buoyed by King's elegant baritone, the tune was a top 10 hit in the U.S. in 1961 and returned to the charts 25 years later when it was prominently
The Recording Industry Association of America voted it one of the 25 top songs of the 20th century. Music-rights organization BMI named the song, the fourth-most played song of the century on radio and TV.
In March 2015 the Library of Congress inducted Ben King's original version of "Stand By Me" into the National Recording Registry, with the mention that the song "was King's incandescent vocal that made it a classic." and "anchored by perhaps the best known bassline in recording history", a song with a "soaring string arrangement."
Ben King Benjamin Earl Nelson has died, but "Stand By Me" will help keep his memory for generations to come.
