FT Live: Chubby Checker

In 2 minutes & 42 Seconds, Chubby Checker revolutionized popular culture and changed the music business forever. When he appeared on American Bandstand in 1960 and performed “The Twist,” it was the dawn of a new era in Rock and Roll. Dancing Apart to the Beat was born and teenagers found a new way to express themselves. Chubby’s dance style has extended from Woodstock through Disco to the present day. He stands alone as a one-of-a-kind rock icon, who has had 36 hit records, is the only artist to have a single go to #1 twice, and according to Billboard, has the #1 Single for the whole Decade of the 60’s. Chubby was awarded the first Platinum Single, the first Rock Grammy and has sold an astounding 250,000,000 records over the years. That’s why Dick Clark has said: “The three most important things that ever happened in the Music Industry are Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Chubby Checker.”