WASHINGTON — He was known for his 1961 R&B hit “Stand By Me.”

Now, legendary musician Ben E. King has died at age 76, as first reported by the BBC and now confirmed by CBS.

King began with the 1950s group The Drifters, before turning solo with the hit “Stand By Me.”

The song regained popularity after Rob Reiner’s 1986 film by the same name, based on the short story “The Body” by Stephen King and starring a young River Phoenix.

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