Ben E. King, the soul singer and author of one of the most famous songs twentieth century, “Stand by me”, died aged 76.
King, who lived in New Jersey, died of natural causes on Thursday, told AFP the artist’s spokesman, Phil Brown.
“Ben was one of the sweetest souls, kind and talented that I had the privilege to know and call a friend for more than 50 years,” he wrote Facebook singer of R & B; Gary U.S. Bonds, one King collaborator.
King was born in North Carolina but moved to New York as a child. He began his career in the city in genres such as doo wop and R & B .;
Initially wrote “Stand by me” for a band, but ended up recording the song himself.
Influenced by traditional spiritual gospel and the Psalms, the song begins with a bass line that has become a classic and features a series of common chords in popular music of the 50s
letter can be interpreted both as a story about a relationship with God as with a person through his unforgettable “I will not be afraid / Just as long as you stand, stand by me.”
The musician minimized the importance of his lyrical ability when he said “Stand by me” as his songs, was written quickly.
But he acknowledged that the fact of “Stand by me” be known as something that was considered fantastic.
The song was released in 1961, but has been covered hundreds of times and used in various soundtracks.
“Stand by me” was the fourth most played song on radio and television in the United States in the twentieth century, over seven million executions, according to BMI’s Music company.
The music was the inspiration for the film “Stand By Me” (“Stand by me”, 1986), a teen drama directed by Rob Reiner and presented the song to a new generation.
The Library of Congress included this year “Stand by me” in the National Recording Registry in the category “American treasures.”
In its announcement, the Library of Congress said “Stand by me” has “probably the best known low-line history of the recordings.” The line was composed by Mike Stoller and played by Lloyd Trotman.
“But it was the incandescent voice of King that turned into a classic” he said.
King was born in 1938 with the name of Benjamin Earl Nelson and in full period of racial segregation and never had a formal muscial education.
In New York, joined the The Four B’s group, but success came when a local agent, Lover Patterson, entered a bar in Harlem, managed by King’s father, and asked the musicians They introduce themselves. Soon received a proposal.
“I discussed this with my dad and he said I could not accept since interfirisse with the help they gave him,” King told the music journalist Gary James.
“I thought of it as fun. Never as a profession,” he added.
His early career was in the late 50s with the group The Drifters, with songs like “There goes my baby” and “Save the last dance for me”.
The new band worked in the studio of Atlantic Records, who won reputation to reveal african-American artists of R & B; and jazz like Ray Charles.
After leaving the band, has released solo recording “Stand by me”.
King continued active until the end of life, complete with a few tours. He created the Foundation Stand By Me, headquartered in Teaneck your house, New Jersey, to support the education of young people.
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