Chubby Checker
Niswonger Performing Arts Center 212 Tusculum Blvd, Town of Greeneville, Tennessee 37745
In 1959, Chubby Checker rose to national prominence with his debut record, The Class. Chubby’s smash hit, “The Twist,” quickly rose to #1 on the Billboard Pop chart and the popular dance that accompanies the song was made famous by Checker with his performance on American Bandstand in 1960. The concept of “dancing apart to the beat” was born and endless songs incorporating “The Twist” into its name sprang up such as “Peppermint Twist,” “Twist and Shout” and “Twistin’ the Night Away.” At the forefront was Chubby with “The Fly,” “The Pony” and “The Hucklebuck.”
The next few years were prolific for Chubby as hit followed hit. In 1961, Chubby recorded the #1 hit “Pony Time” which stayed on the charts for 16 weeks. In between recording and touring, Chubby took time to add feature films to his portfolio with the releases of “Don’t Knock the Twist” and “Twist Around the Clock.”
Chubby Checker remains in the spotlight with his high-energy performances that continue to bring the nostalgia of time gone by to his many fans.