The death yesterday of the great soul singer Ben E. King has been greeted with a wave of sadness throughout the world of music, with tributes flowing in from some of the biggest names in entertainment. He died at Hackensack University Medical Centre as a result of coronary problems. He was 76 years of age. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Betty King.

He was best known for the song 'Stand By Me', which was released as a single in 1961 and became a breakthrough hit for him as a solo artist, peaking at No.4 in the US Hot 100. It was a minor hit in the UK, reaching No.27, but that was rectified later when the track was used as the theme for the film of the same name. As a result, the song hit No.1 in the UK and in Ireland in 1987, as well as reaching the top 10 elsewhere in Europe.

The YouTube recording by the lead singer with hot young Irish band The Matthews reflects both the great power of the song, and the marvellous vocal talent of the young singer, who is just 17 years of age. "'Stand By Me' is one of my favourite songs ever,” says Jack Matthews. “The sentiment in the song is a really powerful and enduring one. We have all felt the need to reach out and ask for support from our loved ones, and so it touches on that universal experience. But it is also a real singer’s song, with a beautiful melody which heightens the emotion in the lyrics in the most extraordinary way. It is a wonderful song to sing.”
King was also the lead singer on The Drifters’ legendary hit 'Save The Last Dance For Me’, while 'There Goes My Baby' (1959) and 'Spanish Harlem' (1961) remain among the stand-out cuts from that era. Born in North Carolina, King was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009, and he was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame as a one-time member of The Drifters.