Chubby Checker

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Born in 1941, Ernest Evans, better known by his stage name Chubby Checker is a singer, songwriter, and actor. He was given the nickname Chubby Checker by Barbara Clark—the wife of television and radio personality Dick Clark—and played homage to another famous singer, Fats Domino. Checker is credited with inventing the dance craze The Twist after his version of the 1959 Hank Ballard song was released in the 1960’s. The song popularized a new style of couples dancing that continues to be influential to this day. The Twist became a chart-toping hit and the was followed up the next summer with a successful sequel Let's Twist Again; most of Checker’s early work featured some play on his first hit. Checker is credited with seven top ten hits on The Billboard Top 100 including Pony Time and Limbo Rock. As of 2024, Chubby Checker still actively tours and performs around the United States.