Music Trivia - Chubby Checker

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moxham123
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Music Trivia - Chubby Checker

Post by moxham123 »

How did Chubby Checker get his stage name and who named him?

Extra bonus points - Who originally did The Twist?
Eightball
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Post by Eightball »

Wasn't it from a Bandstand show with Dick Clark? And one of his wives gave him the nickname?

I think Hank Ballard brought out the twist. (Thought I heard that on an oldies station the other night!)
moxham123
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Post by moxham123 »

Hank Ballard & The Midnighters did do the original version of The Twist.

Ernest Evans would entertain customers at his various jobs, including Fresh Farm Poultry on Ninth Street and at the Produce Market with songs and jokes. It was his boss at the Produce Market, Tony A., who gave Evans the nickname "Chubby". Karl Mann, who worked as a song-writer for Cameo-Parkway Records, arranged for young Chubby to do a private recording for American Bandstand host Dick Clark. It was at this recording session that Evans got his stage name from Clark's wife, who asked Evans what his name was. "Well", he replied, "my friends call me 'Chubby'". As he had just completed a Fats Domino impression, she smiled and said, "As in Checker?" That little play on words ('chubby' meaning 'fat', and 'checkers', like 'dominoes', being a game) got an instant laugh and stuck, and from then on, Evans would use the name "Chubby Checker"
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