170 The Midnighters “Annie Had a Baby” 1954

Led by Hank Ballard (1927-2003), the group originally called the Royals caught the attention of Johnny Otis at a Detroit talent show audition. When their Annie songs became major hits on the U.S. R&B charts and in England (Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock & Soul), they changed their name to the Midnighters (Billboard 2003).

The Midnighters “Annie Had a Baby”