"The soul legends are falling away from us one by one, and all too rapidly," says music writer Tony Fletcher.

Fletcher joined Tom Dunne on Monday night's programme to look back on the significance of the late R&B singer Ben E. King, who passed away recently.

King, perhaps best known for his global hit Stand By Me, was originally a member of The Drifters.

"He wasn't looking to be a singer to begin with," explained Fletcher. "He was working in his dad's restaurant in Harlem and the manager of this group The Five Crowns kept coming in looking for a replacement for the vocalist...he joined as the baritone singer".

The Five Crowns would eventually become The Drifters after the latter's manager fired the original members.

"Ben E King came up with the song There Goes My Baby and that became a massive hit record in 1959...from that point onward the idea of the previous Drifters didn't really matter. From now on it was Ben E. King's Drifters.

To listen to the full interview, click on the above link.