Biography
Benjamin Earl Nelson, 28 September 1938, Henderson, North Carolina, USA. King began his career while still a high-school student singing in a doo-wop group, the Four B’s. He later joined the Five Crowns who, in 1959, assumed the name the Drifters. King was the featured lead vocalist and occasional composer on several of their recordings including ‘There Goes My Baby’ and ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’ (written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman). After leaving the group in 1960, he recorded the classic single ‘Spanish Harlem’ (1961), which maintained the Latin quality of the Drifters’ work and deservedly reached the US Top 10. The follow-up, ‘Stand By Me’ (1961), was even more successful and was followed by further hits including ‘Amor’ (1961) and ‘Don’t Play That Song’ (1962). Throughout this period, King’s work was aimed increasingly at the pop audience. ‘I (Who Have Nothing)’ and...
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