Lyrics | Artists | Hank Ballard

Hank Ballard

Hank Ballard is best known as the original writer and performer of "The Twist", made famous by Chubby Checker in 1960. An R&B favorite amongst American black audiences in the 50s and 60s, Ballard joined The Midnighters (originally named The Royals) who went on to achieve chart success with the provocatively charged single, "Get It", in 1953. Born John Henry Kendricks, November 18, 1927, in Detroit, Michigan, Ballard was employed at an automobile factory when he joined Henry Booth, Cal Green, Charles Sutton, and Sonny Woods to become the lead singer of The Midnighters. The band of...