Ben E. King, best known for his 1961 song “Stand By Me,” has died at the age of 76. He passed away on Thursday, April 30, 2015. The cause of death has not been announced.

Fellow musician Gary US Bonds wrote on Facebook that King was “one of the sweetest, gentlest and gifted souls that I have had the privilege of knowing and calling my friend for more than 50 years.”

King started his career in the late 1950s with The Drifters, singing on hits including “There Goes My Baby” and “Save The Last Dance For Me.”  After going solo, he hit the US top five with “Stand By Me” in 1961. The song returned to the charts in the 1980s following its use in the film of the same name.

(via BBC)