Ben E. King

Born on September 28, 1938, in Henderson, North Carolina, and dying on April 30, 2015, in Hackensack, New Jersey, Ben E. King moved with his family to Harlem in 1947 and worked in his father's restaurants as a teenager. His ability to sing both bass and tenor drew him to choirs and helped lead him and some friends to form a vocal group called the Four Bs. In his early 20s, George Treadwell recruited him to sing with the Drifters, with whom he recorded hits including "There Goes My Baby" and "Save the Last Dance for Me." After disputes over salary led him to part ways with Treadwell, he began a solo career in 1961 with "Spanish Harlem." Later that year, he released "Stand by Me," the hit for which he is best known, inspired by his feelings for his soon-to-be-wife Betty and becoming a heartfelt classic that remains fresh to this day.

Henderson, North Carolina · United States