Ben E. King's Great Stand

The musician, who died Thursday at age 76, gave us many magic moments with a voice that bridged genres, borders and generations.

In 2008, a documentary crew filmed street musicians from around the globe – the U.S., the Netherlands, South Africa, Brazil and Russia, among other countries – and patched their performances into one we-are-the-world-like celebration of unity and song, generating an early viral YouTube video.

The song they all played: “Stand by Me.”

It proved a brilliant choice for the worldwide band – a classic three-minute pop anthem, filled with the universal emotions of longing, vulnerability, passion, and, above all, hope. Their inspiration was the man who co-wrote the song and gave it permanent life 54 years ago: Ben E. King.

King, who died Thursday at age 76, will be remembered for his haunting and hopeful musical plea – along with other magic moments produced by a voice that bridged genres, borders and ultimately generations.

As a solo artist and with the Drifters, King forged a music legacy by singing what people were feeling – his accuracy embodied in not only in lyrics but in his by turns wistful and aching baritone: He expressed loss and regret (“There Goes My Baby”); patience, loyalty and understanding (“Save the Last Dance for Me”); the youthful pain and joy of loving from afar (“Spanish Harlem”); the ecstasy of capturing a fleeting instant of bliss (“This Magic Moment”).

King penned his masterpiece, “Stand by Me,” with the formidable songwriting team of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. The opening solitary bass line set the tone for a tune that begins with a sense of loneliness and builds into an all-out plaintive, yet optimistic appeal for facing whatever bad times are in store together.

John Lennon, a King fan, scored his best solo cover song with his 1975 version of “Stand by Me,” even it he couldn’t quite match the impact of the original. King's rendering gained new fans with the 1986 Rob Reiner film, “Stand by Me.” The documentary "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music," spawned the multi-national YouTube video, which is approaching 75 million views.

King created a timeless message, wrought in four chords, that means as much on the streets of New Orleans as in the squares of Moscow – representing an enduring gift from a music great who combined soul, R&B and pop to give us a song and sentiment we all could stand by.

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Jere Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multimedia NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is also the author of "Raising a Beatle Baby: How John, Paul, George and Ringo Helped us Come Together as a Family." Follow him on Twitter.

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