Hank Ballard & The Royals

THE ROYALS HAD a brief but important part to play in the development of rock 'n' roll. They were door-openers much like the Chords and Crows, and just like those other groups, they quickly faded from the public eye. Only after a transformation into ‘Hank Ballard & The Midnighters’ in 1959 did they regain their former pop stature, but it was a lean four years between hits.