Ben E. King's family in the front row sits during a memorial service at the Community Baptist Church in Englewood, N.J., Thursday, May 7, 2015. King, the unforgettable lead singer for the Drifters and solo star whose plaintive baritone graced such pop and rhythm 'n blues classics as "Stand by Me," ''There Goes My Baby" and "Spanish Harlem," died April 30. He was 76. (Carmine Galasso/The Record of Bergen County via AP) ONLINE OUT; MAGS OUT; TV OUT; INTERNET OUT; NO ARCHIVING; MANDATORY CREDIT
May 08, 2015 - 4:27 AM
ENGLEWOOD, N.J. - More than 600 people filled a church in northern New Jersey to pay final respects and celebrate the life of singer Ben E. King.
King, who was best known for his hit, "Stand By Me," died April 30 of natural causes in his hometown of Teaneck. He was 76.
The Record newspaper reports (http://bit.ly/1H3n6KU ) family, friends and some well-known musicians were on hand at Englewood's Community Baptist Church on Thursday.
Don Gardner, the vocalist-drummer who had hits with Dee Dee Ford in the 1960s, called King a "sweetheart."
King was the lead singer of the Drifters and a solo star whose baritone produced pop and rhythm 'n blues classics as "There Goes My Baby" and "Spanish Harlem."
He was interred in Hackensack Cemetery.
___
Information from: The Record (Woodland Park, N.J.), http://www.northjersey.com
News from © The Associated Press, 2015