Stand By Me singer Ben E King signed tambourine Benjamin Earl King (n Nelson; September 28, 1938 April 30, 2015) was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He is best known as the singer and co-composer of, Stand by Mea U.S. Top 10 hit, both in 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 United Kingdom in 1987, and number 25 on the RIAA's list of Songs of the Centuryand as one of the principal lead singers of the R&B vocal group The Drifters, notably singing the lead vocals of one of their biggest global hit singles (and only U.S. No. 1 hit), Save the Last Dance for Me.