Ben E. King-70th Bday W/Darlene Love, Gary US Bonds and Charlie Thomas at BB Kings

Ben E. King is probably best known as the singer and co-composer of “Stand By Me,” a U.S. top 10 hit in both 1961 and 1987, and as one of the principal lead singers of the legendary R&B vocal group, The Drifters.

He co-wrote the Drifters, “There Goes My Baby” and also sang lead on “Save the Last Dance for Me”, a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, “Dance With Me,” “This Magic Moment,” “I Count the Tears,” and “Lonely Winds.”

King scored his first solo hit with the stylish, Latin-tinged ballad “Spanish Harlem” (1961). “Stand by Me” was his next recording. Written by King along with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, “Stand by Me” was voted one of the Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America. “Stand by Me” and “Spanish Harlem” were named as two of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and were both also given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. His other classics are Don’t Play That Song (You Lied) (covered by Aretha Franklin in the 1970’s), Amor, Seven Letters, How Can I Forget, On the Horizon, Young Boy Blues, I (Who Have Nothing), What is Soul? + Supernatural Thing, part 1.

Ahmet Ertegun once said King had one of the greatest voices in soul history.