Benjamin Earl King (September 28, 1938 – May 1, 2015), better known as Ben E. King, was an American soul and R&B singer.
King is perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of “Stand by Me”—a US Top 10 hit in both 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 #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.