Ben E. King

North Carolina-born songwriter and vocalist Ben E. King is considered one of the greatest R&B and soul singers of all time. ∙ During his time in The Drifters, King sang lead on some of the group’s biggest hits, including “There Goes My Baby,” “This Magic Moment,” and the No. 1 pop hit “Save the Last Dance for Me.” ∙ His 1960 debut single, “Spanish Harlem”—also a hit for Aretha Franklin in 1971—appeared on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list. ∙ He cowrote “Stand By Me”—a Billboard Pop top 10 hit in 1961 and 1986—now included in the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry and on BMI’s Top 100 Songs of the Century list. ∙ Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame along with The Drifters, King was also honored by the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. ∙ Led Zeppelin, The Righteous Brothers, Dusty Springfield, Prince Royce, and Siouxsie & the Banshees have all covered songs popularized by King.