Everything about Drifters totally explained
The DriftersPeter Lamarr
Rohan Delano Turney
Patrick Alan
Victor Bynoe
| Past_members =
| Notable_instruments =}}
The Drifters are a long-lived American
doo wop/
R&B vocal group, originally formed by
Clyde McPhatter (of
Billy Ward & the Dominoes) in
1954.
History
The original Drifters
Ahmet Ertegün 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 combination lasted for only 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 wasn't 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'd been denied in the Dominoes, but, upon his departure, didn't 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 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 lineup had a major
R&B hit in
1955 with "Adorable," followed by several others ("
Ruby Baby," "I Got To Get Myself A Woman," and "
Why Do Fools Fall In Love").
In the mid 1950s, the Drifters began working with
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, songwriters who eventually became the group's producers as well. A few fans consider this 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, who would leave to join the Drifters the next year.
Bill Pinkney was replaced by
Tommy Evans (who had replaced Jimmy Ricks in
The Ravens).
Charlie Hughes, a baritone, replaced Andrew Thrasher. Johnny Moore was
drafted in November 1957 and replaced by Bobby Hendricks, but to no success; the group wasn't able to break into mainstream markets. By early 1958, the lineup 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.
Since Treadwell owned the rights to the name "Drifters," and since he still had a year's worth of bookings for the Apollo, he recruited another group,
The Five Crowns, featuring lead singer
Ben E. King. The group changed its name to the "Drifters" and went out on the road to tour for almost a year, although this new group had no connection to the prior Drifters.
Bill Pinkney's "Original Drifters"
Meanwhile, Bill Pinkney 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 lineup in the early 2000s was Pinkney, Cockerham, Dunbar, Young, and Clyde McPhatter's son,
Ron McPhatter. Young died in 2005 and Pinkney in 2007; the other members continued performing. 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 "Poppa" Clark was the fifth member; he wasn't included in the new group.
This new lineup, widely considered the "true" golden age of the group, released several singles that became chart hits: "
There Goes My Baby," the first commercial rock-and-roll recording to include a
string orchestra, "Dance With Me," "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. 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 hits such as "Some Kind Of Wonderful," "Please Stay," and "
Up on the Roof." While recording "Please Stay," songwriter
Burt Bacharach met
Dionne Warwick, a backup singer and began a long, well-known 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 member from the Five Crowns, 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 lasted only 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 that 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 on the
British charts - notably "Kissing In The Back Row Of The Movies", "There Goes My First Love" and "You're More Than A Number In My Little Red Book". 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, Benjamin Earl Nelson (a.k.a. Ben E. King) and Bill Fredricks.
Fredricks, Lewis, and Price all left in
1983, and were replaced by the returning Johnny Moore, Joe Blunt, and Clyde Brown. In
1986, the group split, and the a new lineup was constructed by Treadwell, consisting of new member
Jonah Ellis and former members Ray Lewis, Billy Lewis, and Louis Price. 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 Lamarr in
1990.
Thurston was out at the end of the year and was replaced by
Roy Hemmings
.
Patrick Alan was in for Peter Lamaar briefly, before Lamaar left in
1991, and was permanently 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 Lamarr.
Tragedy struck on December 30, 1998 when the group's longest serving member, Johnny Moore, died in London. Patrick Alan returned to the group, keeping it a quartet. Lamarr left again in
2003, and was replaced by
Victor Bynoe. Hemmings left in 2004 and was replaced by the again-returning Peter Lamarr. The group's current lineup is Peter Lamarr, Rohan Delano Turney, Patrick Alan, and Victor Bynoe. This line up is fully endorsed by Johnny Moore's wife, and in Allan, Lamarr and Turney, 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.
In December of 2006, writs were served in the London High Court by Tina Treadwell, daughter of George and Faye, against Lundquist and Lunderman, alleging they're not the rightful controllers of The Drifters. Tina's group featured 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. It will be interesting to see how things transpire should Treadwell win her case, as the current Drifters lineup touring the UK has built up a fan base with Johnny Moore and continuing after 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. In 1988, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted The Drifters; naming members Clyde McPhatter, Bill Pinkney, Gerhardt Thrasher, Johnny Moore, Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas, and Rudy Lewis.
Reunion
A reunion of current and former Drifters took place in May 2007, shortly before Pinkney’s death, on the PBS public television special "Doo Wop Love Songs". Pinkney and Richard Knight Dunbar joined with Bobby Hendricks and a fourth member; they performed "White Christmas." Charlie Thomas' Drifters also appeared along with Ben E. King, to sing "Stand By Me", with Pinkney and Hendricks joining. Shortly after the filming, on July 4, 2007, Bill Pinkney died of a heart attack in his room at the Hilton Hotel, Daytona Beach, Florida, where he was in town to perform for the 4th of July Red, White and Boom Event.
Car accident
On March 12, 2007, the band and manager Phil Lunderman were involved in a serious car crash on the
M1 motorway near
Rotherham, England. Phil was driving when their car hit a stationary vehicle in the outside lane of the carriageway. Most of the band escaped with relatively minor injuries, but Patrick Alan suffered head injuries (including a concussion) and was taken to Rotherham General Hospital for further treatment.
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 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 hasn't returned to the US since.
Bill Pinkney's Original Drifters continue to tour and record. Charlie Thomas leads
another group. Beary Hobbs had
a group, which has continued to record after his death (and is still managed by Marshak). Faye Treadwell granted Hobbs rights to use the trademark prior to his death.
Rick Sheppard also tours with
a group. Sheppard owns the Canadian Trademark for the Drifters name and has recently won a lawsuit in Canada, so that no other Drifters permitted to perform there. Ray Lewis and Roy Hemmings have led
a Drifters group, and Hemmings now fronts
a group that's managed by Tina Treadwell. Bobby Hendricks leads a group, as does Billy Lewis (
Trademark battle between him and Faye Treadwell). Don Thomas leads a group,
Don Thomas and the Drifters Review.
Singles discography
Top 20 charted hits shown
in bold.
| Year |
A-Side |
Lead singer |
Label
|
Chart Positions |
| US Hot 100 |
US R&B |
UK |
|
"Money Honey" |
Clyde McPhatter |
Atlantic |
|
|
|
|
"Lucille" |
|
Atlantic |
|
|
|
| 1954 |
"Honey Love" |
Clyde McPhatter |
Atlantic |
|
|
|
| 1954 |
"Someday You'll Want Me to Want You" |
|
Atlantic |
|
|
|
"White Christmas" |
|
Atlantic |
#80 |
#5 |
|
|
"Whatcha Gonna Do" |
|
Atlantic |
|
#2 |
|
| 1955 |
"Everyone's Laughing" |
|
Atlantic |
|
|
|
| 1955 |
"Adorable"/ |
Johnny Moore |
Atlantic |
|
#1 |
|
|
→"Steamboat" (B-Side) |
|
|
|
#5 |
|
|
"Ruby Baby" |
Johnny Moore |
Atlantic |
|
#10 |
|
|
"I Gotta Get Myself a Woman" |
|
Atlantic |
|
#11 |
|
|
"Fools Fall in Love" |
|
Atlantic |
|
#10 |
|
|
"Hypnotized" |
|
Atlantic |
#79 |
|
|
|
"I Know" |
|
Atlantic |
|
|
|
|
"Drip Drop"/ |
Bobby Hendricks |
Atlantic |
#58 |
|
|
|
→ "Moonlight Bay" (B-Side) |
|
Atlantic |
#72 |
|
|
|
"There Goes My Baby" |
Ben E. King |
Atlantic |
#2 |
#1 |
|
|
"(If You Cry) True Love, True Love"/ |
Johnny Lee Williams |
Atlantic |
#33 |
#5 |
|
|
→ "Dance With Me" (B-Side) |
Ben E. King |
Atlantic |
#1 |
#2 |
#17 (as A-side) |
|
"This Magic Moment" |
Ben E. King |
Atlantic |
#16 |
#4 |
|
|
"Lonely Winds" |
Ben E. King |
Atlantic |
#54 |
#9 |
|
|
"Save The Last Dance For Me" |
Ben E. King |
Atlantic |
#1 |
#1 |
#2 |
|
"I Count the Tears" |
Ben E. King |
Atlantic |
#17 |
|
#28 |
| 1961 |
Some Kind of Wonderful" |
Rudy Lewis |
Atlantic |
#32 |
#6 |
|
|
"Sweets for My Sweet" |
Charlie Thomas |
Atlantic |
#16 |
#10 |
|
|
"Please Stay" |
Rudy Lewis |
Atlantic |
#14 |
#13 |
|
|
"Room Full of Tears" |
Charlie Thomas |
Atlantic |
#72 |
|
|
|
"When My Little Girl Is Smiling" |
Charlie Thomas |
Atlantic |
#28 |
|
#31 |
|
"Stranger on the Shore" |
|
Atlantic |
#73 |
|
|
|
"Sometimes I Wonder" |
Ben E. King |
Atlantic |
|
|
|
|
"Up on the Roof" |
Rudy Lewis |
Atlantic |
#5 |
#4 |
|
|
"On Broadway" |
Rudy Lewis |
Atlantic |
#9 |
#7 |
|
|
"If You Don't Come Back" / |
|
Atlantic |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Atlantic |
#71 |
|
|
|
"I'll Take You Home" |
|
Atlantic |
#25 |
#24 |
#37 |
|
"Vaya Con Dios" |
|
Atlantic |
#43 |
|
|
|
"One-Way Love" |
|
Atlantic |
#56 |
|
|
|
"Under the Boardwalk" |
Johnny Moore |
Atlantic |
#4 |
#45 |
|
|
"I've Got Sand in My Shoes" |
Johnny Moore |
Atlantic |
#33 |
|
|
|
"Saturday Night at the Movies" |
Charlie Thomas |
Atlantic |
#18 |
|
#3 |
|
"The Christmas Song /I Remember Christmas" |
|
Atlantic |
|
|
|
|
"At the Club" |
Johnny Moore |
Atlantic |
#43 |
#10 |
#35 |
|
"Come On Over to My Place" |
Johnny Moore |
Atlantic |
#60 |
|
#9 |
|
"Follow Me" |
|
Atlantic |
|
|
|
|
"I'll Take You Where the Music's Playing" |
|
Atlantic |
#51 |
|
|
|
"Memories Are Made of This" |
|
Atlantic |
#48 |
|
|
|
"Baby What I Mean" |
|
Atlantic |
|
|
#49 |
|
"Ain't It the Truth" |
|
Atlantic |
|
#36 |
|
|
"Something Tells Me" |
|
Bell |
|
|
|
|
"You've Got Your Troubles" |
|
Bell |
|
|
|
|
"Like Sister and Brother" |
|
Bell |
|
|
#7 |
|
"Kissin' in the Back Row of the Movies" |
|
Bell |
|
#83 |
#2 |
|
"Down on the Beach Tonight" |
|
Bell |
|
|
#7 |
|
"Love Games" |
|
Bell |
|
|
#33 |
|
"There Goes My First Love" |
|
Bell |
|
|
#3 |
|
"Can I Take You Home Little Girl" |
|
Bell |
|
|
#10 |
|
"Hello Happiness" |
|
Bell |
|
|
#12 |
|
"Every Night's a Saturday Night With You" |
|
Bell |
|
|
#28 |
|
"You're More than a Number in My Little Red Book" |
|
Arista |
|
|
#5 |
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
Music samples
Money Honey:
Further Information
Get more info on 'Drifters'.
|
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