Benjamin Earl King

Benjamin Earl King[1] (September 28, 1938 – April 30, 2015), known as Ben E. King, was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He was perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of “Stand by Me”—a US Top 10 hit, both in 1961 and later in 1986 (when it was used as the theme to the film of the same name), a number one hit in the UK in 1987, and no. 25 on the RIAA’s list of Songs of the Century—and as one of the principal lead singers of the R&B vocal group the Drifters notably singing the lead vocals of one of their biggest global hit singles “Save The Last Dance For Me.[2]
It was announced on May 1, 2015, that King had died at the Hackensack University Medical Center on April 30, 2015, at the age of 76.[22][23] His agent said he had suffered from “coronary problems” at the time of his death.[3] King was survived by his wife of 51 years, Betty, three children and six grandchildren.[21] On May 17, two weeks after his death, Imagine Dragons performed “Stand By Me” at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards as a tribute to his memory.