Iconic R&B singer Ben E. King, whose “Stand By Me” is one of the few songs to chart in the top 40 in two separate decades, died from natural causes at the age of 76 yesterday. King first found fame as a member of The Drifters before going solo and releasing numerous hits throughout the early 1960s, including “Spanish Harlem” and “Don’t Play That Song (You Lied).”
King had not been publicly reported to have been suffering illness in recent years, and completed a tour in the UK in 2013. He also played concerts in the US last year.
In an interview in 2013, he spoke of his fans’ adoration for “Stand by Me” and pledged to perform it for the rest of his life to please crowds.
“I’m so proud it has stood the test of time,” he said. (Via)
To paraphrase The Writer from Stand by Me, I know we’ll miss King forever.
Via: Telegraph
