|
Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZKING, Ben E.(b Benjamin Earl Nelson, 28 September 1938, Henderson, NC; d 30 April 2015, Teaneck NJ) Soul singer. Grew up singing in his father's diner; went pro with vocal group the Crowns '56 and was still there when Drifters manager George Treadwell sacked his own group, replaced them with talented youngsters he'd spotted further down the bill. King sang lead on Drifters' 'There Goes My Baby' (also co-wrote it), 'Save The Last Dance For Me' etc; went solo at suggestion of Atlantic: Spector/Leiber song 'Spanish Harlem' was no. 10 pop chart, self-penned 'Stand By Me' no. 4, both '61, later covered with nearly equal success by Aretha Franklin and John Lennon respectively. 'Amor' no. 18 '61, 'Don't Play That Song' no. 11 '62 (also later covered by Franklin), 'I (Who Have Nothing)' no. 29 '63 (covered by everybody from Tom Jones to transvestite disco king Sylvester). The hits continued in the soul chart: 'Tell Daddy', 'Seven Letters', 'It's All Over', 'What Is Soul?' (provided title of legendary black music series on Atlantic '60s). Many of these were produced by Bert Berns. He left Atlantic at the end of the decade but returned after unsuccessful spells with Maxwell/Crewe and Mandala; 'Supernatural Thing Part 1' blazed into the pop chart at no. 5 '75, following similarly titled LP that was subtitled The Ben E. King Story (the song later bizarrely covered by Siouxsie and the Banshees). He collaborated with the Average White Band for Benny And Us '77, gigged with them; rejoined Drifters '82 when Johnny Moore quit. He and Clyde McPhatter were the most distinctive and successful of the Drifters who went solo; the fact that he wrote or co-wrote many songs is often overlooked, but his 'Stand By Me' will stand forever. |