Contributed by Octavia Sawyer

Original found at Chubby Checker’s official Web site, which appears to be defunct:

This is my message to the Nobel Prize nominators and the nominators of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Should you choose me I’ll consider it honorable. However, I have conditions for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

To Place the “Twist” symbol that’s on Chubby Checker’s Beef Jerky, this statue on top of a thirty foot or so pedestal in the courtyard of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I would like to be alone thank you. I changed the business. I am often call the wheel that Rock rolls on as long as people are dancing apart to the beat of the music they enjoy. Before “Alexander Graham Bell” Š no Telephone. Before “Thomas Edison” Š no Electric light. Before “Dr. George Washington Carver” Š no Oil from seed or cloning of plants. Before “Henry Ford” Š no V-8 Engine. Before “Walt Disney” Š no Animated cartoons. Before Chubby Checker Š no “Dancing Apart to the Beat.” What is “Dancing Apart to the Beat?” Dancing Apart to the Beat is the dance that we do when we dance apart to the beat of anybody’s music and before “Chubby Checker” it could not be found!

Elvis Presley is the King of Rock & Roll, no doubt, and we love him. However, Rock & Roll was already here. He just became the King of it. The Beatles, who we all love so dearly, their likeness was done by the Beach Boys, Buddy Holly and the Crickets. But it’s evident that they did it much, much better. Hank Ballard wrote and recorded the “Twist”. The inner city kids made a dance to that song. The record died on the radio. Radio stopped playing the record. The “Twist” was dead. No one was going to hear the record and no one was ever going to see the dance. We re-recorded the record and campaigned the song and the dance at DJ record dance parties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Radio stations started to play the “Twist” by Chubby Checker. We finally made it to American Bandstand and showed the world what it was. Chubby Checker changed everything. He gave movement to a music that never had this movement before. The styles changed. The nightclub scene is forever changed. Chubby Checker gave birth to aerobics.

He game to music a movement that could not be found unless you were trained at some studio learning something other than dancing apart to the beat. It’s easy. It’s fun. The “Twist” the only song, since time began, to become number one twice by the same artist. Oh yes, we’re talking about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But lets face the truth. This is Nobel Prize Territory.

The “Twist” is very recognizable when you dance apart to the beat. But “The Pony”, two on one side and two on the other side, the dance that I introduced in 1961 is the biggest dance of the century. They do it to everything, in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and now 2000’s. And what about my “Fly”? To explain it better, throw your hands in the air and wave them like you just don’t care. If you “Fly” you automatically do the “Shake”. From 1959 to this moment it’s either the “Twist”, the “Pony”, the “Fly”, the “Shake” or some other nasty stuff in between.

Please I urge you not to look upon my comments as self-centered, proud love thy self. This is not what this is about. Since I have such a unique situation in the music business, I feel only I can explain it. If the music industry knew or understood this reoccurring phenomenon, that’s renewed every time the beat begins, they would have explained it through the decades. Yes, “Dancing Apart to the Beat” is Chubby Checker. Everybody is doing it everyday, every month, every year, since its discovery in 1959. Chubby Checker’s given the music business something great. Now he wants his greatness returned.

I want my flowers while I’m alive. I can’t smell them when I’m dead. The people that come to see the show have given me everything. However I will not have the music business ignorant of my position in the industry. Dick Clark said, and I quote, “The three most important things that ever happened in the music industry are Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Chubby Checker”. Now I ask you. Where is my more money and my more fame? God bless and have mercy. You know I Love You.

Yours truly,

Chubby Checker