NEW YORK: Ben E. King, the soul singer whose Gospel-influenced “Stand By Me” became one of the most broadcast songs of the 20th century, has died at 76, his spokesman said on Friday.

King, who lived in New Jersey, died of natural causes on Thursday, spokesman Phil Brown said.

R&B singer and collaborator Gary US Bonds wrote on Facebook that King was “one of the sweetest, gentlest and gifted souls that I have had the privilege of knowing and calling my friend for more than 50 years”. Discovered while working at his father’s restaurant in New York, King had several early hits with doo-wop vocal band The Drifters including “There Goes My Baby” and “Save the Last Dance For Me”.

But he had by far his greatest success with “Stand By Me,” which King had initially started writing for The Drifters before pursuing the song on his own.

Inspired by a traditional Gospel spiritual and a Psalm, the song was led by a now instantly identifiable bass line and featured chord progressions common in 1950s popular music.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2015

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