Hank Ballard Live in Hampton Beach, NH - 1985

Born John Henry Kendricks, Hank Ballard joined the Detroit rhythm and blues vocal group, the Royals, in the winter of 1952 after one of their members, Lawson Smith, was drafted. Initially, the ballad-heavy quintet was fronted by Charles Sutton, but Ballard gradually worked his way to the lead microphone, singing on the Top 10 R&B hit, “Get It”, in 1953. Hank sang lead on a string of hit records, beginning in 1954, with “Work With Me Annie”, which was initially pressed as by the Royals and, beginning in April of 1954, the group’s new name, the Midnighters. “Annie Had A Baby”, “Annie’s Aunt Fannie”, “Sexy Ways”, “Henry’s Got Flat Feet”, “Look At Little Sister”, “Teardrops On Your Letter”, and the original version of “The Twist” followed, and while the background vocalists occasionally changed, Ballard remained the front man. Into the early 1960s, the act continued to score with hits including “Finger Poppin’ Time” and “Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go”. After the Midnighters disbanded in the mid-1960s, Ballard began a solo career and scored several regional and R&B charted hits that ranged from soul to funk and disco. Ballard recorded with, and was produced by, James Brown during this period. Beginning in the early 1970s, Boston-area disc jockey, concert host and producer, historian and enthusiast, Little Walter DeVenne began documenting the pioneers of vocal group harmony, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll using Super 8 movie film, reel to reel tape recorders, and whatever means were available to him. Concerts in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and other locations were preserved. Sadly, Walter died in 2021, and the films were feared lost or destroyed. Through the efforts of Walter’s friend and longtime disc jockey, Mike Bollea, many of these recordings have been preserved. Through Mike’s generosity and a desire to see Walter’s historic films shared with fans and devotees of this music, we present the Little Walter’s Time Machine Official Archives series, remixed and synched by Todd Baptista, from the original source material. Copying, reuploading, distributing, selling, or any unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. In the 1980s, Walter hired Hank Ballard on several occasions to come to New England to perform. On June 15, 1985, he headlined a concert at the Club Casino in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. His complete 45-minute set was preserved on video and Walter’s original source tape was used for this film. On stage, Hank is accompanied by lead guitarist and musical director J. C. “Billy” Davis, who joined the Midnighters in 1958 and played on the original versions of “The Twist”, “Finger Poppin’ Time”, and “Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go”. Davis also recorded with artists including Jackie Wilson (“Higher and Higher”) and Joe Tex (“Skinny Legs and All”). At the time, Ballard did not have a touring Midnighters vocal group, and so the popular New York-based vocal group, the Valentinos, were hired to sing the background vocals. The well-rehearsed trio- Gil Valentin, Sonia Rivera, and James Myers- delivered a first-rate performance. Ballard rarely lets up during the ten-song set that opens with “The Hoochie Coochie Coo” before sliding into the 1954 hits, “Work With Me Annie”, “Annie Had A Baby”, and “Sexy Ways”. The lone ballad, “Teardrops On Your Letter”, follows, before Hank picks up the pace again with “Tore Up Over You”, “Finger Poppin’ Time”, “Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go”, and “The Twist”. For the encore, Ballard chose the 1959 rocker, “Sugaree”. Soon after this performance, Ballard reorganized the Midnighters, recording and touring worldwide for the remainder of his life. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. Hank was 75 when he died of throat cancer in 2003.

Added 2 Apr 2026