Ben E. king

General information about Ben E. King

-His real name is Benjamin Earl Nelson
-American soul singer
-Born 28 September 1938 in Henderson, North Carolina, USA, –Died 30 April 2015 in Hackensack, New Jersey, USA.

– He moved to Harlem, New York, at the age of nine in 1947.

King made his name as a lead singer of the Drifts. His run of hits with the Drifts started in the summer of 1959 with THERE GOES MY BABY.

He was born Benjamin Earl Nelson in Henderson, North Carolina, and moved to New York with his family at the age of nine, part of the migration of black workers from the southern states to the more prosperous cities.

As a teenager in Harlem, where he helped out in his father’s three restaurants, he sang in church choirs but also joined his school friends in a street-corner vocal group.

His unusual vocal flexibility, spanning the range from bass to tenor.

At 20, he joined a group called the Five Crowns.

In their second year of existence the group had a sudden and unexpected stroke of luck when they inherited the name and high reputation of an already successful group, the Drifters. Drifters Founded in 1953, the Drifters had already enjoyed hits with Money Honey. in addition to, many songs.

King continued to record throughout the 60s. But, the uneven quality of albums such as Seven Letters indicate that he or his producers was unsure of his direction.

King was arguably too urbane and mature a performer, despite his southern roots. King possess one of the most distinguished voices.

King was active in his charitable foundation Stand By My Foundation which helps to provides education to deserving youths.

Some of his albums

Spanish Harlem (1961)
Ben E. King Sings for Soulful Lovers (1962)
Don’t Play That Song! (1962)
Young Boy Blues (1964)
Ben E. King’s Greatest Hits (1964)
Seven Letters (1965)
What Is Soul (1967)
Rough Edges (1970)
The Beginning of It All (1972)
Supernatural (1975)
I Had a Love (1976)
Rhapsody (1976)
Let Me Live in Your Life (1978)
Music Trance (1980)
Street Tough (1981)