Hank Ballard

Find a Grave

Birth: Nov. 18, 1927 Detroit Wayne County Michigan, USA

Death: Mar. 2, 2003 Los Angeles Los Angeles County California, USA

Singer, Songwriter. He was discovered in the early 1950s by writer-producer Johnny Otis. By the early 1960s, he had 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. In 1958, he wrote and recorded "The Twist," but it was only released on the "B" side of a record. One year later, Chubby Checker debuted his own version and it became an instant hit. Hank Ballard was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. (bio by: Steve Edquist ~In Memory Of Aaron & Scrappy~)

Cause of death: Throat cancer

Burial: Greenwood Cemetery Atlanta Fulton County Georgia, USA Plot: Garden of Faith, Lot 958, Grave #2

Maintained by: Find A Grave Originally Created by: Steve Edquist ~In Memory... Record added: Mar 03, 2003 Find A Grave Memorial# 7229332

Hank Ballard (November 18, 1927 – March 2, 2003), born John Henry Kendricks, was a rhythm and blues singer and songwriter, the lead vocalist of Hank Ballard and The Midnighters and one of the first proto-rock 'n' roll artists to emerge in the early 1950s. He played an integral part in the development of rock music, releasing the hit singles "Work With Me, Annie" and answer songs "Annie Had a Baby" and "Annie's Aunt Fannie" with his Midnighters. He later wrote and recorded "The Twist" and invented the dance, which was notably covered by Chubby Checker. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

Born John Henry Kendricks in Detroit, Michigan, Ballard along with his brother, Dove Ballard, grew up and attended school in Bessemer, Alabama after the death of their father.[citation needed] He lived with his paternal aunt and her husband, and began singing in church. His major vocal inspiration during his formative years was the "Singing Cowboy", Gene Autry, and in particular, his signature song, "Back in the Saddle Again".http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Ballard Ballard returned to Detroit in his teens and later worked on the assembly line for Ford.