The Drifters
The Drifters are an American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. The second group of Drifters, formed in 1959 and led by Ben E. King, were originally an up-and-coming group named The Five Crowns. After 1965 members drifted in and out of both groups and many of these formed other groups of Drifters as well. Over the succeeding decades, several different bands, all called the Drifters, can trace roots back to these original groups, but contain few—if any—original members.
For other uses, see The Drifters (disambiguation).
The Drifters
New York City, U.S.
1953–present[1]
- Louis Bailey
- Stephen Brown
- Jerome Manning
- Jeff Hall
- Clyde McPhatter
- Gerhart Thrasher
- Andrew Thrasher
- Charlie White
- Bill Pinkney
- Willie Ferbee
- Walter Adams
- Ben E. King
- Charlie Thomas
- Doc Green
- Derek Ventura
- Bernard Jones
- Lloyd Butch Phillips
- Elsbeary Hobbs
- Rudy Lewis
- Tommy Evans
- Johnny Lee Williams
- Eugene Pearson
- Johnny Terry
- Harrell Dixon
- J.T. Carter
- Johnny Stewart
- Terry King[2]
- Johnny Moore
- Bobby Hendricks
- Butch Leake
- Rudy Ivan
- Jimmy Lewis
- Ray Lewis
- Rick Sheppard
- Bill Fredericks
- Louis Price
- Maurice Cannon
- Glenn Dodd
- Michael Williams
- Jason Leigh
- Phil Watson
- Brian Henderson
- Michael Raysor
- Dave Revels
- Darryl Johnson
According to Rolling Stone, the Drifters were the least stable of the great vocal groups, as they were low-paid musicians[3] hired by George Treadwell, who owned the Drifters' name from 1955, after McPhatter left. The Treadwell Drifters line has had 60 musicians,[4] including several splinter groups by former Drifters members (not under Treadwell's management). These groups are usually identified with a possessive credit such as "Bill Pinkney's Original Drifters", "Charlie Thomas' Drifters".
The three golden eras of the Drifters were the early 1950s, the 1960s, and the early 1970s (post-Atlantic period). From these, the first Drifters, formed by Clyde McPhatter, were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as "The Drifters".[5] The second Drifters, featuring Ben E. King, were separately inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as "Ben E. King and the Drifters".[6] In their induction, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame selected four members from the first Drifters, two from the second Drifters, and one from the post-Atlantic Drifters.[7] There were other lead singers too, but the group was less successful during those times.[8]
According to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame: "Through turmoil and changes, the (original) Drifters managed to set musical trends and give the public 13 chart hits, most of which are legendary recordings today."[5] Matching that feat, subsequent formations of the Drifters recorded 13 Billboard Hot 100 top-30 chart hits. The 1950s and '60s incarnations of the group were also a force on the US R&B charts, notching six number-one R&B hits: "Money Honey" (1953), "Honey Love" (1954), "Adorable" (1955), "There Goes My Baby" (1959), "Save The Last Dance For Me" (1960), and "Under The Boardwalk" (1964). A 1970s revival in Britain, with both old and new material, was not matched in the United States, although they had their biggest successes on the UK singles chart, peaking with the number-two hit "Kissin' in the Back Row of the Movies".
History[edit]
Classic first Drifters and Clyde McPhatter[edit]
To historians and many fans, "The Drifters" means Clyde McPhatter, although he was with the group for only one year. McPhatter was lead tenor for Billy Ward and His Dominoes for three years, starting in 1950. McPhatter's high-pitched tenor was mostly responsible for the Dominoes' success. In 1953, Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records attended a Dominoes performance at Birdland, and noticed McPhatter was absent. Jerry Wexler recalled,
Splinter groups[edit]
Dock Green led his group, the Drifters featuring Dock Green, throughout the 1970s and 1980s. That group consisted of Green (lead/baritone), Derek Ventura (lead/tenor), Lloyd Butch Phillips (second tenor), and Bernard Jones (bass/baritone).[29] Green died on March 10, 1989; Phillips died in 2002.
Ray Lewis and Roy Hemmings have led a Drifters group. Bobby Hendricks led a group, as did Billy Lewis.[30] Don Thomas leads a group, Don Thomas and the Drifters Review. In addition, Ronn McPhatter, son of Clyde McPhatter, leads a group called Clyde McPhatter's Drifters.[31]
Aside from the official post-2008 lineup, Treadwell managed a second group, The Drifters Legends, composed of former members Rick Sheppard, Butch Leake, Joe Blunt, and Clyde Brown.[32] Faye Treadwell died of breast cancer at the age of 84 on May 22, 2011.[33]
Awards[edit]
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame has inducted both "The Original Drifters" (1998) and "Ben E. King and the Drifters" (2000). In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the Drifters number 81 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[3] In 1988, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted the Drifters; naming members Clyde McPhatter, Bill Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Johnny Moore, Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas, and Rudy Lewis. Bill Pinkney, Charlie Thomas, and Johnny Moore (posthumously) received Pioneer Awards from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in 1999.[5] The Songwriters Hall of Fame include The Drifters among their Songwriters Friends, the artists who popularized the songs written by inductees.[34] Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame 2018.