The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Class of 1990 No. 1

Hank Ballard

Inducted by Boz Scaggs

(Wikipedia)

Hank Ballard's career and legacy is very brief.  

One of Ballard's best known songs is "The Twist," which was covered and made most famous by Chubby Checker.

Hank Ballard joined the doo-wop group, The Royals in 1953.  Shortly thereafter, The Royals became The Midnighters with their best song, "Work with Me, Annie" - No. 1 on R&B charts.  "Sexy Ways" led to The Midnighters being risque at the time. 

In 1959, The Midnighters became Hank Ballard and the Midnighters.  The newly titled band was recognized with the Grammy-nominated "Finger Poppin' Time" in 1960.  The band, however, broke up in 1965.

Hank Ballard collaborated with James Brown for Ballard's 1969 album, You Can't Keep a Good Man Down.  Ballard was featured on Brown's 1972 album, Get on the Good Foot.  

The Midnighters reunited in the mid-1980s and performed until 2002.  

As noted, Hank Ballard was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.  The remaining Midnighters were inducted in 2012.

In 2010, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters were inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.

With his background being short, the notes listed above best summarize Hank Ballard.