The Drifters

Ben E. King was the Drifters' best known lead singer, with hits including "There Goes My Baby," "This Magic Moment," and "Save the Last Dance for Me."

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 asked him in 1953 to form a group. McPhatter found the other members singing at the Mount Lebanon Church in Harlem, New York. Popular not only for their vocals but for their choreography, the Drifters recorded "Money Honey," "Such A Night," "Honey Love," and "White Christmas" within a year. With Ben E. King's yearning sound on lead tenor, songwriters Leiber and Stoller, and enchanting orchestral strings, the group had a string of hits—"There Goes My Baby" (#1, 1959); "This Magic Moment (#4, 1960);" "I Count the Tears (#17, 1960);" and "Save the Last Dance for Me (#1, 1960)."

With Rudy Lewis on lead vocals, the Drifters enjoyed their popularity through 1963 with pop and rhythm-and-blues hits, including: "Some Kind of Wonderful," "When My Little Girl Is Smiling," and "Up On the Roof" by Carole King and Gerry Goffin; "Sweets For My Sweet" by Mort Shuman; and "On Broadway" and "I'll Take You Home" by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. After Lewis died in 1964, early Drifter Johnny Moore took over the lead for the group's final pop hits: "Under the Boardwalk" (#4, 1964) and "Saturday Night At the Movies" (#18, 1964).

While the Drifters continued recording into the early 1970s, they never achieved their previous stardom. In 1972, Johnny Moore toured England with a new group of Drifters, signing with the British Bell label and produced a series of hit songs through 1975. Today, there are several different groups who perform under the name, "The Drifters." The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

History

Atlantic Record impresario Ahmet Ertegun was instrumental in the formation of the Drifters.

The original Drifters

In may 1953, 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".

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"

After McPhatter was drafted into the Army is 1954, George Treadwell, the Drifter's manager, hired Johnny Moore as new lead singer. Although the group had a hit with Moore, "Ruby Baby" (R&B, #10, 1956), complaints about wages caused Treadwell to fire them all in June 1958. Recognizing the value of the Drifter name, Atlantic's Jerry Wexler convinced Treadwell, who owned the name, to use it with a new group. After hearing Benjamin Nelson (later Ben E. King), Treadwell hired him and his group, the Crowns, renaming them the New 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 the End label in 1959, were as the "Harmony Grits"). Following a series of personnel changes over the next decade, by 1968 the group consisted of Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Bobby Lee Hollis, and Bobby 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.

Songwriter Carole King penned Drifters' hit "Up on the Roof."

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).

By March 1970, following a numner of line-up changes, 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

Afterwards, 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. Tragedy struck in 1999 when the group's longest serving member, Johnny Moore, died. In December 2006, writs were served in the London High Court by Tina Treadwell, daughter of George and Faye, over who are the rightful controllers of The Drifters.

The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. 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.

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

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

The Drifters ^history

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

History of "The Drifters"

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.