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Hank Ballard (November 18, 1927 – March 2, 2003) was an American R&B singer and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was born in Detroit, Michigan but grew up in Bessemer, Alabama, where he sang in church. In 1951, Ballard moved back to Detroit and formed a doo wop group. He soon joined a group called The Royals, along with Henry Booth, Charles Sutton, Sonny Woods and Alonzo Tucker. The Royals had already signed to Federal Records when Ballard joined, and the group soon released "Get It" (1953), a major R&B hit.
The Royals' first major hit was "Work With Me Annie," a R&B hit that also sold well in mainstream markets, along with the answer song "Annie had a Baby." The group changed its name to The Midnighters to avoid confusion with The "5" Royales. Their next major hit was "Sexy Ways," a song that cemented the band as one of the most risque groups of the time. This was to be the last major hit for The Midnighters. Sutton was replaced by Lawson Smith, while Thrasher was replaced by Sonny Woods. Tucker was replaced first by Arthur Porter and then Cal Green.
In 1959, Ballard's "The Twist" was released as a B-side for "Teardrops on Your Letter." Chubby Checker then took "The Twist" to #1 twice. Though this brought about The Midnighters-renaissance that lasted only a few years. The group dissolved in 1965. Ballard tried to launch a solo career, working with James Brown. Though he later tried to reform The Midnighters, the new line-ups never achieved much success.
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Hank Ballard and The Midnighters - Biography, hit song list, and a publicity photo from a booking agency.
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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Hank Ballard - Inductee profile.
| Before Chubby there was Hank. This is the original "The Twist" from 1958. ... Hank-Ballard The-Midnighters the-twist ... | |
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