Black History Spotlight: Chubby Checker is still ‘twistin’ after 60 years

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - Chubby Checker, whose real name is Ernest Evans, was born in Georgetown County, S.C., and raised in South Philadelphia.

His passion for entertaining sparked at a young age. When he was 4 years old, his mom took him to a fair in Georgetown where he saw country singer Ernest Tubb perform.

Fifteen years later, in 1960, Checker released “The Twist.” The song broke records, topping the Hot 100 chart twice that year and again in 1962.

In 2018, Billboard ranked “The Twist” the No. 1 Hot 100 hit of all time.

The song inspired a new dance craze that transcended racial, social, and economic lines and brought together all walks of life. The record was inducted into The Recording Academy’s Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000.

Checker’s success continued for years with the release of “The Fly” and “Let’s Twist Again,” for which he won a Grammy for Best Rock Performance.

Sixty years later, Checker is still twistin,’ performing the iconic song and other hit records.

Copyright 2021 WMBF. All rights reserved.