The Drifters

The Drifters are a long-lived American doo wop/R&B band, who helped create soul music with gospel-style vocals. After Clyde McPhatter was fired by the Dominoes, Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records encouraged him to form a group. McPhatter discovered the other members singing at the Mount Lebanon Church in Harlem, New York. The Drifters were not only a popular for their vocals but, for their choreography. Within a year, McPhatter and the Drifters had recorded "Money Honey," "Such A Night," "Honey Love," and "White Christmas." McPhatter was drafted into the Army in 1954.

After McPhatter's departure, George Treadwell, the Drifter's manager, hire Johnny Moore to become the groups new lead singer. The first hit with Moore was "Ruby Baby." The group's fortunes flagged, along with complaining about wages, caused Treadwell who owned the name to fire them all in June 1958.

Jerry Wexler, Atlantic A&R man, recognizing the value of the Drifter name and convinced Treadwell to apply the name to a brand new group. Treadwell heard Benjamin Nelson (later Ben E. King) and hired him and his group, the Crowns, and renamed them the New Drifters. The new group with Ben E. King as lead tenor was even more successful then the original group. Songwriters Leiber and Stoller wrote the groups first record "There Goes My Baby" a #2 hit in 1959. Orchestral strings, gentle Latin rhythm, and King's yearning, romantic vocals became the groups trademark. Other hits were "This Magic Moment," "I Count the Tears," and "Save the Last Dance for Me." King left the group to pursue a solo career in October 1960.

In the meantime, The Drifters enjoyed their greatest hit making-period with Rudy Lewis on lead vocals. Through 1963, The Drifters had major pop and rhythm-and-blues hits provided by Brill Building songwriters. These included Carole King and Gerry Goffin's "Some Kind of Wonderful," "When My Little Girl Is Smiling," and "Up On the Roof," Doc Pomus and [[Mort Shuman's "Sweets For My Sweet," and Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil's "On Broadway" and "I'll Take You Home." Lewis died in the summer of 1964 and early Drifter Johnny Moore took over the lead for the group's final pop hits "Under the Boardwalk" and "Saturday Night At the Movies."

The Drifter continued to record into the early 1970s. Around 1972, Johnny Moore with a new group of Drifters, moved to England, toured the clubs and cabarets, and signed with British Bell, for whom they had a series of British hits through 1975. Several different groupings of Drifters perform today. Johnny Moore died in London on December 30, 1998 at the age of 64. Ben E. King reemerged in 1974 with the R&B and pop hit "Supernatural Thing" and later recorded with The Average White Band. His popularity diminished he rejoined The Drifters for European Tours in the early 1980s. King enjoyed renewed popularity and had a hit again with "Stand By Me," the title song to the film of the same name in 1986 and thereafter recorded for EMI, Manhattan, and Ichiban.

The Drifters were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

History

The original Drifters

Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records approached Clyde McPhatter after he left the Dominoes and signed him. McPhatter first recruited several members of his former group, the Mount Lebanon Singers: William “Chick” Anderson (tenor), David Baldwin (baritone), and James “Wrinkle” Johnson (bass), plus David “Little Dave” Baughan (tenor). This aggregation only lasted for a single session (from which "Lucille" was the only song released), after which Atlantic asked McPhatter to form a different group. He finally settled on Gerhart and Andrew Thrasher on baritone and second tenor, respectively, Bill Pinkney on high tenor, Willie Ferbee as bass, and Walter Adams on guitar. This is the group on the second session, which produced the group's first major hit: "Money Honey".

After the session, Ferbee was involved in an accident and left the group and Adams died (to be replaced by Jimmy Oliver). Ferbee was not replaced and the voice parts were shifted around: Gerhart Thrasher became first tenor, Andrew Thrasher was now the baritone, and Bill Pinkney shifted down to bass. The group released several more hits ("Such A Night," "Honey Love," "Bip Bam," "White Christmas," and "What'cha Gonna Do") before McPhatter was drafted in May 1954 (after which he pursued a solo career). McPhatter had demanded a large share of the group's profits, which he had been denied in the Dominoes, but, upon his departure, did not ensure that this would continue for his successor. He sold his share of the group to George Treadwell, manager, former jazz trumpeter, and husband of legendary singer Sarah Vaughan. As a result, the Drifters' cycled through copious members, none of whom made much money. McPhatter later expressed regret at this action, recognizing that it doomed his fellow musicians to unprofitability.

McPhatter was first replaced by David Baughn, who was on the group's first session. While his voice was similar to McPhatter's, his erratic behavior made him unsuitable in the eyes of Atlantic Records executives. Baughn soon left the group, and was replaced by Cleveland native Johnny Moore (of The Hornets). This line-up had a major R&B hit in 1955 with "Adorable", followed by several others ("Ruby Baby," "I Got To Get Myself A Woman," and "Fools Fall In Love"). Johnny Moore was drafted in November 1957 and replaced by Bobby Hendricks (who had briefly been with The Swallows), but to no success; the group was not able to break into mainstream markets.

In the mid 1950s, The Drifters began working with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, legendary songwriters, who eventually became the group's producers as well. This is widely considered the group's golden age, inaugurated by the 1956 hit "I Gotta Get Myself a Woman". Low salaries contributed to burnout among the members, particularly Bill Pinkney, who was fired after asking Treadwell for more money. Andrew Thrasher left as well, in protest. Pinkney formed another group, called The Flyers, with lead singer Bobby Hendricks (before he joined the Drifters to replace army-bound Johnny Moore).

Bill Pinkney was replaced by Tommy Evans (who had replaced Jimmy Ricks in The Ravens). Charlie Hughes, a baritone, replaced Andrew Thrasher. By early 1958, the line-up was: Bobby Hendricks (lead tenor), Gerhart Thrasher (first tenor), Jimmy Milner (baritone), Tommy Evans (bass), and Jimmy Oliver (guitar). By May 1958, both Hendricks and Oliver had quit, returning only for a week's appearance at the Apollo Theater. During that week, one of the members got into a fight with the owner of the Apollo. That was the last straw for manager George Treadwell, who fired the entire group. It would be thought that the group would therefore be no more.

But Treadwell was believed to have owned the rights to the name "Drifters". Left with a year's worth of advanced bookings for the Apollo, Treadwell recruited another group on the bill at there, The Five Crowns with lead singer Ben E. King. They changed their name to the "Drifters" and went out on the road to tour for almost a year. This second group had no connection to the prior group of Drifters.

Bill Pinkney's "Original Drifters"

Meanwhile, Bill Pinkney and other "fired" Drifters once again joined with the Thrashers and David Baughan to begin touring as "The Original Drifters" (although their first recordings, for End in 1959, were as the "Harmony Grits"). Baughan left after a short time, leaving the group a trio. Bobby Lee Hollis joined in 1964 and took over the lead spot. Later that year Andrew Thrasher was out and Jimmy Lewis was in. Bobby Hendricks returned, making the group a quintet for a short time, before Lewis left. Andrew Thrasher returned, replacing Hollis. Hollis and Baughan bounced in and out through the 1960s. By 1968, the group was Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Hollis, and Hendricks. At this point, the group split.

Pinkney met with an existing group, The Tears, and recruited them as the new Original Drifters. The Tears were Benny Anderson, George Wallace, Albert Fortson, and Mark Williams. Shortly after recruiting them, they broke away from Pinkney and continued touring as the Original Drifters for over a decade (Pinkney filed suit and successfully stopped them at that time).

Pinkney then brought in new members Bruce Caesar, Clarence "Tex" Walker, and Bruce Richardson. The lineup changed rapidly. In 1979 the group was Pinkney, Andrew Lawyer, Chuck Cockerham, Harriel Jackson, and Tony Cook. Their 1995 album, Peace in the Valley on Blackberry Records, credited vocals to Pinkney, Cockerham, Richard Knight Dunbar, Vernon Young, and Greg Johnson. They appeared on the PBS special, Doo Wop 51 with Pinkney, Dunbar, Johnson, and Bobby Hendricks. The current lineup is Pinkney, Cockerham, Dunbar, Young, and Clyde McPhatter's son, Billy McPhatter. Greg Johnson is now in Bobby Hendricks' Drifters.

The second Drifters

Treadwell had approached Lover Patterson, the manager of the Five Crowns. All but one member of The Five Crowns went along with the name change to become the Drifters. The new line-up consisted of: Benjamin Earl Nelson (known professionally as Ben E. King; lead tenor), Charlie Thomas (tenor), Dock Green (baritone), and Elsbeary Hobbs (bass). James Hazely was the fifth member; he was not included in the new group.

This new line-up released several singles which became chart hits: "There Goes My Baby," the first commercial rock-and-roll recording to include a string orchestra, "Dance With Me,"James Hazely "This Magic Moment," "Save The Last Dance For Me," and "I Count The Tears." However, personnel changes started almost immediately. Lover Patterson (who had managed the Five Crowns and was now the Drifters' road manager) got into a fight with George Treadwell. Since Patterson had Ben E. King under personal contract, he refused to let King tour with the group anymore. Thus, King continued to record with the group for about a year before beginning a successful solo career. New member Johnny Lee Williams did the touring (although he can be heard leading "True Love, True Love"). Williams was subsequently replaced by Rudy Lewis (of The Clara Ward Singers), who led the Drifters on such hits as "Some Kind Of Wonderful," "Please Stay," and "Up On The Roof". While recording "Please Stay", songwriter Burt Bacharach met Dionne Warwick, a back-up singer, thus beginning a legendary partnership.

Bass Elsbeary Hobbs was drafted and eventually replaced by the returning Tommy Evans (from the 1958 group). Dock Green left in 1962 and was replaced by Eugene Pearson (of the Rivileers and Cleftones). Tommy Evans left again in 1963 and was replaced by Johnny Terry. After his military service and a failed solo career, Johnny Moore returned in 1964, making the group a quintet of Moore, Charlie Thomas, Rudy Lewis, Gene Pearson, and Johnny Terry.

Later that year, the group was scheduled to record "Under the Boardwalk" on May 21. However, Rudy Lewis died the night before the session, and Johnny Moore took over as the sole lead (he and Lewis had been alternating). Terry was replaced in 1966 by Dan Dandridge for a couple of months, then by William Brent, who had been with Johnny Moore in the Hornets in 1954. Gene Pearson was replaced by Rick Sheppard that same year. By late 1966, baritone/bass Bill Fredricks replaced William Brent. Charlie Thomas, the group's last "original member" (from the day the Five Crowns had become the Drifters), left in mid-1967 and was replaced by Charles Baskerville, a former member of The Limelites. Baskerville stayed only a short time, leaving before a session (which was done as a trio). Baritone Milton Turner was added by the end of 1967. In late 1969, Milton Turner left and was replaced by another singer named Charlie Thomas (who took the nickname Don Thomas to avoid confusion with the former member). This lineup only lasted a few months. By March 1970, the Drifters had broken up. Johnny Moore and Bill Fredericks reunited in January 1971 (along with two unknown singers) to do an independently-produced session which was subsequently sold to Atlantic. "A Rose By Any Other Name" and "Be My Lady" became the Drifters' last Atlantic release.

Post-Atlantic career

After this, the Drifters moved to England and underwent the usual bewildering personnel changes. Throughout the 1970s, the only charted records for the group were disco songs on the British charts. Along with Moore and Fredricks, Butch Leake and former Ink Spot Grant Kitchings were members initially. Fredricks was replaced by Clyde Brown the next year, and Kitchings by Billy Lewis the year after. Leake was replaced by Joe Blunt in 1976, making the lineup Johnny Moore, Clyde Brown, Joe Blunt, and Billy Lewis. This year, Faye Treadwell renamed the group's management company Treadwell Drifters Inc.

Moore left in 1978 and was replaced by Ray Lewis. Blunt and Billy Lewis left in 1979 and were replaced by the returning Johnny Moore and former Temptations lead Louis Price. Moore left again in late 1982, along with Clyde Brown. They were replaced by two returning members, Ben Nelson (a.k.a. Ben E. King) and Bill Fredricks.

Around this time members left and rejoined frequently. Fredricks, Lewis, and Price left in 1983 and were replaced by the returning Johnny Moore, Joe Blunt, and Clyde Brown. In 1986, the group changed all of its members- the new lineup was made up of three former members, Ray Lewis, Billy Lewis, Louis Price, and new member Jonah Ellis. The next year more former members came in as replacements, making the group Moore, Billy and Ray Lewis, and Gene Jenkins (replaced shortly after by George Chandler, then John Thurston). Ray Lewis was out in 1988, and was replaced by Joe Cofie. In 1989, Billy Lewis left, and replaced by the returning George Chandler, then Tony Jackson, Keith John, and finally Peter Lamaar in 1990.

Thurston was out at the end of the year and was replaced by Roy Hemmings. Patrick Alan was in for Lamaar briefly. Lamaar left completely in 1991 and was replaced by Rohan Delano Turney. This lineup lasted until 1996, when Cofie was out and Jason Leigh was in. Leigh was replaced after two years by the returning Peter Lamaar.

Tragedy struck in 1999 when the group's longest serving member, Johnny Moore, died. Patrick Alan returned to the group, keeping it a quartet. Lamaar left again in 2003, and was replaced by Victor Bynoe. Hemmings left in 2004 and was replaced by the again-returning Lamaar. The group's current lineup is Peter Lamaar, Rohan Delano Turney, Patrick Alan, and Victor Bynoe. [1] This line up is fully endorsed by Johnny Moore's wife and in Allan, Lamarr and Turner actually contains three of the longest serving Drifters members.

In 2001, Faye Treadwell left the United Kingdom, allegedly due to bankruptcy. Two members of her company, Mark Lundquist and Phil Lunderman, started a new management company, Drifters UK Limited, to run the group. Their new duties included stopping a patent by an imposter Drifters group. [2][3]

As of December 2006, writs have been served in the London High Court by Tina Treadwell, daughter of George and Faye, against Lundquist and Lunderman, alleging they are not the rightful controllers of The Drifters. Tina's group features Roy Hemmings and Jason Leigh. It should be noted that Hemmings remained with Lundquist and Lunderman initially, leaving three years after the formation of Drifters UK Limited.[4][5] It will be interesting to see how things transpire should Treadwell win her case, the current Drifters line up touring the UK has built up a fan base selling out tour after tour both with Johnny Moore and since his death. 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 Magazine ranked The Drifters #81 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.^[1]

Splinters

In the early 1970s, promoter Larry Marshak decided to reunite the Drifters (not realizing that they were still performing with a newer lineup). He found Dock Green, Charlie Thomas, and Elsbeary Hobbs, and began to promote them as "The Drifters". This brought swift legal action from Faye Treadwell, wife of the late George Treadwell, who was managing the Drifters. In an attempt to grant his group the sole rights to the name, Marshak convinced Hobbs, Thomas, and Green to apply for a trademark on the Drifters name in 1976. The trademark was granted but due to Treadwell's legal action it was revoked in 2000 in US Federal Court. The trio of original Drifters split afterward into separate groups. Faye Treadwell herself fled the US as there were multiple court-cases against her at the time. She fled having not paid her attorneys for their services and has not returned to the US since.

In 1988, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted the seven significant contributors to The Drifters legacy; originals Clyde McPhatter, Bill Pinkney, and Gerhardt Thrasher, and later members Johnny Moore, Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas, and Rudy Lewis. Bill Pinkney's Original Drifters [6] continue to tour and record. Charlie Thomas leads another group [7]). Beary Hobbs had a group, which has continued to record after his death [8](and is still managed by Marshak). Faye Treadwell granted Hobbs rights to use the trademark prior to his death.

Also, Rick Sheppard tours with a group ([9]). Ray Lewis and Roy Hemmings have led a Drifters group ([10]), and Hemmings now fronts a group that is managed by Tina Treadwell. Bobby Hendricks leads a group ([11]), as does Billy Lewis (Trademark battle between him and Faye Treadwell).

Discography

Albums

Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters (1956, Atlantic)
Rockin' & Driftin (1958)
Save the Last Dance for Me (1962)
Up on the Roof (1963) US: #110
Under the Boardwalk (1964) US: #40
The Good Life With the Drifters (1965) US: #103
I'll Take You Where the Music's Playing (1966)
The Drifters' Golden Hits (1968) US: #122 UK: #26
The Drifters Now (1973, Bell)
Love Games (1975, Bell)
There Goes My First Love (1975, Bell)
24 Original Hits (1975, Atlantic) UK: #2
Every Night is Saturday Night (1976, Arista)
Juke Box Giants (1982, Audio Fidelity)
Live at Harvard University (1986, New Rose)
The Very Best of the Drifters (1986, Atlantic) UK: #24
Drifters Christmas (1998, Happy Holidays)
The Definitive Drifters (2003, Atlantic) UK: #8

Singles

"Money Honey" (1953, Atlantic)
"Lucille" (1954)
"Honey Love" (1954)
"Someday You'l Want Me to Want You" (1954)
"White Christmas" (1954) R&B: #5 US: #80
"Whatcha Gonna Do" (1955) R&B: #2
"Everyone's Laughing" (1955)
"Adorable" (1955) R&B: #1
"Steamboat" (1956) R&B: #5 b-side of Adorable
"Ruby Baby" (1956) R&B: #10
"I Gotta Get Myself a Woman" (1956) R&B: #11
"Fools Fall in Love" (1957) R&B: #10
"Hypnotized" (1957) US: #79
"I Know" (1957)
"Drip Drop" (1958) US: #58
"Moonlight Bay" (1958) US: #72 b-side of Drip Drop
"There Goes My Baby" (1959) R&B: #1 US: #2
"(If You Cry) True Love, True Love" (1959) R&B: #5 US: #33
"Dance With Me" (1959) R&B: #2 US: #15 UK: #17 b-side of True Love, True Love
"This Magic Moment" (1960) R&B: #4 US: #16
"Lonely Winds" (1960) R&B: #9 US: #54
"Save The Last Dance For Me" (1960) R&B: #1 US: #1 UK: #2
"I Count the Tears" (1960) US: #17 UK: #28
"Some Kind of Wonderful" (1961) R&B: #6 US: #32
"Please Stay" (1961) R&B: #13 US: #14
"Sweets for My Sweet" (1961) R&B: #10 US: #16
"Room Full of Tears" (1961) US: #72
"When My Little Girl Is Smiling" (1962) US: #28 UK: #31
"Stranger on the Shore" (1962) US: #73
"Sometimes I Wonder" (1962)
"Up on the Roof" (1962) R&B: #4 US: #5
"On Broadway" (1963) R&B: #7 US: #9
"If You Don't Come Back" (1963)
"Rat Race" (1963) US: #71 b-side of If You Don't Come Back
"I'll Take You Home" (1963) R&B: #24 US: #25 UK: #37
"Vaya Con Dios" (1964) US: #43
"One-Way Love" (1964) US: #56
"Under the Boardwalk" (1964) US: #4
"I've Got Sand in My Shoes" (1964) US: #33
"Saturday Night at the Movies" (1964) US: #18 UK: #3
"I Remember Christmas" (1964)
"At the Club" (1965) R&B: #10 US: #43 UK: #35
"Come On Over to My Place" (1965) US: #60 UK: #9
"Follow Me" (1965)
"I'll Take You Where the Music's Playing" (1965) US: #51
"Nylon Stockings" (1965)
"Memories Are Made of This" (1966) US: #48
"Up in the Streets of Harlem" (1966)
"Baby What I Mean" (1966)
"Ain't It the Truth" (1967) R&B: #36
"Still Burning in My Heart" (1968)
"Steal Away" (1969)
"You Got to Pay Your Dues" (1970)
"A Rose By Any Other Name" (1971)
"Something Tells Me" (1972, Bell)
"You've Got Your Troubles" (1973, Bell)
"Like Sister and Brother" (1973, Bell) UK: #7
"Kissin' in the Back Row of the Movies" (1974, Bell) R&B: #83 UK: #2
"I'm Free (for the Rest of My Life)" (1974, Bell)
"Down on the Beach Tonight" (1974, Bell) UK: #7
"Love Games" (1975, Bell) UK: #33
"There Goes My First Love" (1975, Bell) UK: #3
"Can I Take You Home Little Girl" (1975, Bell) UK: #10
"Hello Happiness" (1976, Bell) UK: #12
"Every Night's a Saturday Night With You" (1976, Bell) UK: #29
"You're More than a Number in My Little Red Book" (1976, Arista) UK: #5

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Allan, Tony, and Treadwell, Faye. Save the Last Dance for Me: The Musical Legacy of the Drifters, 1953-1993. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Popular Culture, Ink., 1993. ISBN 978-1560750284
Millar, Bill. The Drifters: The Rise and Fall of the Black Vocal Group. New York: Macmillan, 1971. OCLC 375841
Pascall, Jeremy, and Bart, Rob. The Stars & Superstars of Black Music. Secaucus, N.J.: Chartwell Books, 1977. ISBN 978-0702600104

External links

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↑ The Immortals: The First Fifty. Rolling Stone Issue 946. Rolling Stone.

[1] The Immortals: The First Fifty. Rolling Stone Issue 946. Rolling Stone.

[1]