Hank Ballard

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Hank Ballard bigraphy, stories - Monarchs

Hank Ballard : biography

November 18, 1927 – March 2, 2003

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 rock ‘n’ roll artists to emerge in the early 1950s. He played an integral part in the development of the genre, 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.

Discography

Charted singles

  • Note: Credited as Hank Ballard and the Midnighters unless stated otherwise.
Year Single Chart Positions
US Pop USR&B
1953 "Get It"The Royals 6
1954 "Work with Me, Annie"The Midnighters 22 1
"Sexy Ways"The Midnighters 2
"Annie Had a Baby"The Midnighters 1
"Annie’s Aunt Fannie"The Midnighters 10
1955 "Henry’s Got Flat Feet (Can’t Dance No More)"The Midnighters 14
"It’s Love Baby (24 Hours A Day)"The Midnighters 10
1959 "Teardrops On Your Letter" /"The Twist" 87- 416
"Kansas City" 72 16
1960 "The Coffee Grind" 21
"Finger Poppin’ Time" 7 2
"The Twist" (re-issue) 28 6
"Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go" 6 1
1961 "The Hoochi Coochi Coo" 23 3
"Let’s Go Again (Where We Went Last Night)" 39 17
"The Continental Walk" 33 12
"The Switch-A-Roo" /"The Float" 2692 310
"Nothing But Good" /"Keep On Dancing" 4966 9-
1962 "Do You Know How to Twist" 87
1968 "How You Gonna Get Respect (When You Haven’t Cut Your Process Yet)"Hank Ballard with The Dapps 15
1969 "From the Love Side"Hank Ballard and the Midnight Lighters 43

Early years

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. 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". Ballard returned to Detroit in his teens and later worked on the assembly line for Ford.

Later career and legacy

After the Midnighters disbanded, Ballard launched a solo career. His 1968 single, "How You Gonna Get Respect (When You Haven’t Cut Your Process Yet)", was his biggest post-Midnighters hit, peaking at number 15 on the R&B chart. James Brown produced Ballard’s 1969 album You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down. A 1972 single, "From the Love Side", credited to Hank Ballard and the Midnight Lighters, went to number 43 on the R&B chart. Ballard also appeared on Brown’s 1972 album Get on the Good Foot, in a track ("Recitation By Hank Ballard") that features Ballard describing Brown and the album.