Chubby (Evans) Checker

Ancestors

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Biography

Chubby Checker is a world-renown singer and dancer. He popularized the twist dance style in 1960 with his hit song "The Twist", one of the most popular singles of all time. He also popularized the music "Limbo Rock" by adding lyrics to the original instrumental hit. He is the only recording artist to place five albums in the Top 12 all at once.^[1]

Ernest Evans was born in South Carolina and raised in the projects of south Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, where he lived with his parents, Raymond and Mrs. Eartle Evans and two brothers.^[2] By age eight Evans formed a street-corner harmony group, and by the time he entered high school, took piano lessons at Settlement Music School. Tony, his boss at the Produce Market, gave Ernest the nickname "Chubby". It was Dick Clark's wife who later gave him the last name Checker. It was a play on Fats Domino.

In the early 1960's Chubby achieved super stardom with the release of the Twist and other up tempo, catchy songs.

Chubby married Catherine "Rina" Lodders, a Dutch model and former Miss World, in Pennsauken, New Jersey in 1964.^[3]. As of 2021 they were still together and had celebrated 57 years of marriage, during which they had three children.^[4]

He spent much of the rest of the 1960s touring and recording in Europe. Changes in public taste temporarily ended his hit-making career. The 1970s saw him become a staple on the oldies circuit, including a temporary stint as a disco artist.

In 2004, a remix of his original Limbo Rock and another original became top 5 Disney Radio hits and popular dance floor songs. A new generation of fans brought him back into the limelight. He had another No. 1 single on Billboard's dance chart in July 2008 with "Knock Down the Walls". Checker received the prestigious Sandy Hosey Lifetime Achievement Award on November 9, 2013 from the Artists Music Guild.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chubby_Checker
2. ↑ https://www.chubbychecker.com/bio.asp
3. ↑ 1964 Marriage: Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey), 13 Apr 1964, Mon, p13, "Twist King Marries: Checker Weds Miss World in Pennsauken" Free View of Article. Married 12 Apr 1964. Mentions parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Evans, brother Tracy age 17. Bride's parents Mr. and Mrs. Kees Lodder, Haarlem, brother Kees
4. ↑ https://news.amomama.com/280677-inside-chubby-checkers-interracial-marri.html
5. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMG_Heritage_Award_winners#Lifetime_achievement_awards

• 1950 USA Census of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 62308 #243123337 citing Record Group #29; roll#2879; ed#51-89; sheet#14; with Ernest Evans @8yrs (single son) in household of Raymond Evans @28yrs

• Wikidata: Item Q317254, en:Wikipedia for Chubby Checker