Ben E. King, the artist most famously known for the popular single “Stand By Me,” has died at the age of 76. 

The singer, who was born Benjamin Earl Nelson in Henderson, NC, performed hits such as “Save the Last Dance For Me” and “There Goes My Baby,” with the Drifters (formerly known as the Five Crowns) before pursuing a solo career. 

King’s 1961 solo tracks “Stand By Me” and “Spanish Harlem” were both named in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of “500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.” The iconic single "Stand By Me,” made its way to Billboard’s Hot 100, the year of its debut. And in 1999, the BMI noted “Stand By Me” as one of the top 100 songs of the century and the fourth most-played track on American radio and television with more than seven million airplays.

Earlier this year, “Stand By Me” was added by the U.S. Library of Congress to the National Recording Registry.

The legendary singer passed Thursday.