After 58 Years Together, Chubby Checker and Beauty Queen are the Grandparents of Seven Children.
The music of Chubby Checker won the hearts of many, but he lost his own to a beauty queen. Against all odds, they are blissfully married to her after 58 years.
Chubby Checker has had 34 hits and recorded the song that influenced the 1960s dance craze culture, therefore he is hardly a one-hit wonder. In the same span, he was the only performer with five albums in the top twelve. At one of his auditions for Dick Clark, he was given the stage moniker Chubby Checker as a tribute to Fats Domino, and the name stuck. In January 1962, while performing in the Philippines, Checker was captivated by a woman in a polka-dot bathing suit.
This girl turned out to be a literal beauty queen. In 1962, Catharina Lodders of the Netherlands held the title of Miss World. When he met Loddars, the musician claimed he had marriage intentions. She won his heart, and the two began a relationship. They were from different cultures, yet they discovered a similar language through their love. Yet, the legislation continued to prohibit the marriage of individuals of different races. Checker, whose given name is Earnest Evans, was born in South Carolina in October 1941. Around the age of seven, he moved to Philadelphia, where he attended school. His mother encouraged him to sing and perform at church.
In high school, he was given the nickname Chubby, and his boss connected him with a friend in the music industry. In 1959, Checker signed with Cameo-Parkway records and issued his debut single, “The Class.” Checker stated, in reference to his entry into the music industry, “I received my big break from Mrs. Dick Clark.” She recognized something unique about me.”
Dick Clark of “American Bandstand” fame saw Checker’s confidence and talent and suggested the young singer remake Hank Ballard’s “The Twist.” Checker’s version topped the Billboard Top 100 in 1960 and re-entered the charts in 1961 after an appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
