Hank Ballard (John Henry Kendricks)
(November 18, 1927 – March 2, 2003)
The pop song "The Twist" was written and originally recorded/released in
early 1959 by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters as a B-side to "Teardrops
on Your Letter”. Ballard’s version was a moderate 1960 hit, peaking at
number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song “Jingle Bell Rock” charted at No. 13 on Billboard‘s Most Played
C&W by Jockeys chart, a predecessor to the Hot Country Songs chart. It
also peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. After it was featured on the
soundtrack to the 1996 film Jingle All the Way, the original version returned
to the country charts in late 1996-early 1997, reaching a peak of No. 60. It
also crossed to the pop charts, reaching #11 in the Cashbox Top 60, week
ending January 11, 1958.
Robert Lee Helms (August 15, 1933 – June 19, 1997)
According to the documentary History of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Ben E.
King had no intention of recording the song “Stand By Me”
himself. King had written it for The Drifters, who passed on
recording it.
The song went to No. 1 on the R&B charts and was a Top
Ten hit when it peaked at no. 4 on the charts. "Stand by
Me" was ranked 122nd on Rolling Stone‘s list of the 500
Greatest Songs of All Time. In 1999, BMI named it as the
fourth most-performed song of the 20th century, with
about seven million performances.
Benjamin Earl King (September 28, 1938 – April 30, 2015)
"True Love Ways" was written by Buddy Holly and Norman Petty and
recorded with the Dick Jacobs Orchestra four months before the singer’s
death. It was Holly’s last studio session. The songs “It Doesn’t Matter
Anymore”, “Raining in my Heart”, and ”Moondreams” were also recorded
during that final session.
Buddy Holly (Charles Hardin Holley)
(September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959)
The song "Big Girls Don’t Cry" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100
on November 17, 1962, and, like its predecessor "Sherry", spent five
weeks in the top position. The song also made it to number one, for
three weeks, on Billboard‘s Rhythm and Blues survey.
Frankie Valli (Francesco Stephen Castelluccio) turned 82 in May.
