Hank Ballard, singer and writer of 'The Twist,' dies

Associated Press ^ | March 3, 2003 | Associated Press Staff

[MeekOneGOP]

Hank Ballard, singer and writer of 'The Twist,' dies

03/03/2003

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Singer and songwriter Hank Ballard, whose hit "The Twist" ushered a nationwide 1960s dance craze, has died.

Ballard, who was suffering from throat cancer, died Sunday at his home, friends said.

Friend and caretaker Anna L. Ayala remembers him for his spirit. "He was just a very good man and loved by so many people," she said.

Ayala said Ballard's birth records indicate he was born in 1927, but biographical information on the Internet and Rock and Roll encyclopedias lists his birth date as 1936.

Ballard was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. He was discovered in the early 1950s by writer-producer Johnny Otis. He was lead singer for the Royals, which changed its name to the Midnighters and was signed by Federal Records.

In 1958, Ballard wrote and recorded "The Twist," but it was released on the "B" side of a record.

One year later, Chubby Checker debuted his own version of "The Twist" on Dick Clark's Philadelphia television show. It soon topped the charts, eventually selling over a million copies.

The song launched a dance craze that prompted the creation of other Twist songs, including "Twist and Shout" by the Isley Brothers and "Twistin' the Night Away" by Sam Cooke.

Peppermint Lounge, a defunct club in New York, became the center of the Twist dance craze in the early 1960s.

Ballard's songs were sometimes banned from 1950s radio for their sexually suggestive lyrics.

By the early 1960s, he'd charted 22 singles on the rhythm and blues charts, including "Work with Me Annie" - the biggest R&B hit of 1954, selling more than 1 million copies. The song was part of a well-known trilogy of risque rhythm and blues numbers that included "Annie Had a Baby" and "Annie's Aunt Fannie."

Ballard and the Midnighters didn't suffer from Checker's version of "The Twist." By the mid 1960s, the group had three simultaneous hits in the pop top 40: "Finger Poppin' Time," "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go," and their original version of "The Twist."

"He was an all-around entertainer. He was dynamite on stage," said friend and business associate Chuck Rubin.

In a 1996 interview with Mai Cramer, who ran a blues radio show, Ballard dubbed music his medicine.

"If you're looking for youth, you're looking for longevity, just take a dose of rock 'n' roll," Ballard said. "It keeps you going. Just like the caffeine in your coffee. Rock 'n' roll is good for the soul, for the well being, for the psyche, for your everything. I love it. I can't even picture being without rock 'n' roll."

He said his first inspiration to be a singer was Gene Autry.

"He had a beautiful voice," Ballard said. "I used to try to emulate him, you know. I had my little toy guns. He was not my favorite fighter, though. He was my favorite singer. He was too handsome to be a fighter."

Ballard, who was born John H. Kendricks in Detroit, Mich., grew up singing in church in Bessemer, Ala. At 15, he moved back to Detroit and set out to form a doo wop group while working on the Ford Motor Company assembly line.

No information was immediately available on survivors.

Services are being arranged by Angelus Funeral Home in Los Angeles.

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Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/030303dnentballard.216f2009.html

[MeekOneGOP]

Rest in peace, Hank Ballard ...

Hank Ballard & The Midnighters

[philo]

Ouch, really loved this guy's music.

I just love your Sexy Ways

[MeekOneGOP]

bttt ...

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Oh no! Hank and the Midnighters made some of my fave greazy r&b! The "Annie"songs, "Finger Poppin' Time", "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" - damn! First Fred Rodgers, now Hank B. -lousy week...

[speedy]

A wondeful man indeed. I knew him for a brief period in the late 1980s. His original version of "The Twist" was very similar to Chubby's, but just a bit edgier, and it was Hank's edginess that made Dick Clark more comfortable with the Chubby Checker approach. "The Twist" was in fact the B side of a song called "Teardrops On Your Letter." RIP, Hootchy-Kootchy Koo man.

[MeekOneGOP]

You knew him, Speedy? How nice! Thanks ...

[Sacajaweau]

We "twisted" through the night. The next day, every muscle ached. I was in agony. But it was worth it!!!

[AGreatPer]

I knew him too. In fact my group, the Four Checkers, did a multiple city tour with him and other groups on a bus in 1959. We were the only white group.

RIP Hank.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks. bttt ...

[speedy]

I met Hank when I was doing part-time radio work in New Mexico and he came on my show when he was appearing in Santa Fe. We had a great two hours on the air -- he talked about his early days in the business and the characters he had dealt with at King Records -- and we stayed in touch off and on for some time afterward. At least the side I saw of him was an uncomplaining, approachable man who loved to perform. He was probably a little wilder in his younger days, but weren't we all. I recall him saying that a major influence on his writing was Clyde McPhatter. And does anybody remember "Henry's Got Flat Feet"?

[PJ-Comix]

One year later, Chubby Checker debuted his own version of "The Twist" on Dick Clark's Philadelphia television show.

Chubby Checker turned 75 just a few days ago.

[MeekOneGOP]

Wow. Thank you for sharing that with us, Speedy ...

I recall him saying that a major influence on his writing was Clyde McPhatter. And does anybody remember "Henry's Got Flat Feet"?

I'm afraid I don't. But Google Search certainly does ! ...

And on this site I found this:

CLYDE McPHATTER
Born: 1931 - Died: Jun 13, 1972
Trivia: Started to work with Billy Ward & the Dominoes in 1950. Formed the Drifters in 1953.
Songs: A Lover's Question/The Bells/Chicken Blues/The Deacon Moves In/Deep Sea Blues/Do Something For Me/Have Mercy Baby/Honey Love/I Am With You/I'd Be Satisfied/Little Bitty Pretty One/Long Lonely Nights/Lovey Dovey/Money Honey/No Says My Heart/Pedal Pushing Pappa/Rock And Cry/Sixty Minute Man/Such A Night/That's What You're Doing To Me/These Foolish Things/Treasure Of Love/Warm Your Heart/Weeping Willow Blues/What Cha Gonna Do/White Christmas/Without Love - just to mention a few.
The EP connection: "Money Honey" & "Such A Night" was recorded by Elvis.

---

And here's a really nice picture of him I found here (click on the pic):

Clyde McPhatter

[MeekOneGOP]

He did? Well happy (belated) birthday, Chubby Checker !!

[Revolting cat!]

Clyde McPhatter! Oh my goodness, there was no one better!

[speedy]

Thanks for the research, MeeknMing. I agree with cat that there were none better than McPhatter. Astonishing voice and ability to convey emotion. The only good thing I can say about Jesse Jackson is that I heard once that he is a major collector of McPhatter records. But I'm feeling sad about Hank now -- he had an amazing knowledge of all kinds of music, including opera and classical and country and western. I think I'm going to go in and listen to his greatest hits now. There's a thrill up on the hill, let's go, let's go, let's go. And hey cat, how about a plug for Johnny Ace while you're at it?

[philo]

I recall seeing Sleepy Labeef on stage saying " We'd like to do an old Hank Ballard tune for ya now, but we're gonna put a little Texas boogie woogie on it".

And tore into Tore Up. Whew!

[MeekOneGOP]

Your post makes it all worth it. Thanks so much ...

[RNBEE]

Chubby Checker is 61 years old.

[PJ-Comix]

Chubby Checker is 61 years old.

Maybe it was Fats Domino that I was thinking of.

[mafree]

Just saw this in the local fishwrap. I liked Ballard's music and he was a good writer. May he rest in peace.