The Complete Atco / Atlantic Singles Vol. 1: 1960-1966

A vocalist whose music was made of equal parts soul and sophistication, Benjamin Earl Nelson first rose to fame as the second lead singer with the Drifters, as they brought a fresh, uptown sound to R&B with string-laden hits like "There Goes My Baby" and "This Magic Moment." In 1960, Nelson struck out on his own, and adopted the stage name Ben E. King; it was the beginning of a solo career that would find him scoring hits well into the '80s. The Complete Atco/Atlantic Singles, Vol. 1: 1960-1966 is a two-disc collection that features 40 songs, all of which appeared on singles King cut for Atlantic Records and their affiliated Atco label between 1960 and 1966. As well as including hits like "Stand by Me," "Spanish Harlem," "Here Comes the Night," "I (Who Have Nothing)," and "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)," this set also includes the often rare flip sides to each hit, many of which have been out of print for decades, and the material has all been mastered from the original master tapes in their original monophonic mixes. For serious Ben E. King fans, The Complete Atco/Atlantic Singles is a rich, comprehensive look into one of the most fruitful periods of his recording career.