BEN E. KING

After 50 years of R&B, a legend takes   on the Great American Songbook

Fifty years is a long time for a song to remain popular, but that’s how long it’s been since Ben E. King first sang his standard “Stand by Me.” Today the classic—written by King with the producers of his original recording, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller—is still ranked as the fourth most performed song of all time by the performing rights organization BMI. It’s been in the Billboard Top 10 twice: in 1961 and again in 1986 when it served as the title track of a smash film. It has been covered by hundreds of artists, from John Lennon and Otis Redding to the likes of author Stephen King and boxer Muhammad Ali. “I don’t think anybody who writes or sings songs knows whether a song is going to have a long life or not,” says King, “but this went beyond everyone’s wildest imagination. I’m honored to be associated with it.”

“Stand by Me” is King’s most popular contribution to music history, but it’s far from his only one. Born Benjamin Nelson in 1938, he first came to prominence as the lead vocalist of the Drifters on such R&B cornerstones as “There Goes My Baby,” “Save the Last Dance for Me” and “This Magic Moment.” Ejected from the group due to a conflict with its manager, King went off on his own, scoring immediately with “Spanish Harlem” in 1960 and kicking off a string of hits that continued well into the late 1970s.

Today King has changed course, leaving behind his trademark classic R&B sound for an album of pop standards, Heart & Soul. “You get to a place in life where you do things that make you happy,” says King, 72, “and this music is not unfamiliar to me.” Featuring such oft-interpreted tunes such as “I Only Have Eyes for You,” “My Funny Valentine” and the title track, Heart & Soul was recorded in Calgary, Canada, and teams King with producers Lanny Williamson and Linda Nash, along with a cast of ace jazz musicians. “We’re not trying to convince somebody these songs are great,” says King, who grew up hearing this kind of music on the jukebox in his father’s restaurant. “I was singing songs like these before I made my first record. They all have longevity.” King may yet record another R&B set, but for now he’d like to stick with the standards. He plans to head into the studio later this year for a follow-up. “I would like people to grow as I grow,” he says, “and love what I love.”

–Jeff Tamarkin