The Drifters are part of an even more exclusive fraternity, as a group that managed to carve out a place for themselves in the R&B firmament and also define that music, not only at its inception as a national chart phenomenon in the early '50s but also in the decade that followed. Pinkney was replaced by Tommy Evans (who had replaced Jimmy Ricks in The Ravens). They did as they were required under the agreement and, for ten months, worked in the shadow of the old group, playing live gigs characterized by the awkwardness of performing the old songs as though they were their own, to mostly black audiences who knew that these weren't the Drifters. Then, on the night of May 20, just hours before the recording session, Rudy Lewis was found dead in his apartment under circumstances that are still in dispute -- the police suspected a drug overdose, but people who knew Lewis insisted that his only vice was binge-eating, and that he had choked to death. ... (1964), before he moved to Toronto in 1970 to pursue a long, and successful, business career (with NCR Canada, GE, Black & Decker, and others). "There Goes My Baby" anticipated the shift to a more pop-oriented brand of soul music, embraced by Sam Cooke and, even more so, by Berry Gordy at his fledgling Motown label. The Vocal Group Hall of Fame has inducted both "The Original Drifters" (1998) and "Ben E. King and the Drifters" (2000). "[4] Matching that feat, subsequent formations of the Drifters recorded 13 Billboard Hot 100 top-30 chart hits. Johnny Moore had been a member of a group called the Hornets, who had done a little bit of recording without making any more than a local reputation for themselves. "Dance with Me" followed and then "This Magic Moment"[16] (number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960). With declining popularity, the last of the original Drifters were reduced to working the club scene and doing double duty with gigs under the Coasters and the Ravens names. "There Goes My Baby" peaked at number two, their biggest hit to that date on the pop charts and their biggest seller up to that time, winning over both R&B and pop audiences and transforming the group and its image. It was followed by "I Count The Tears". Such was the popularity of McPhatter at the time, and the tracks that he'd done with the Drifters, versus their recent work, that those 14 songs rated inclusion on an LP well over a year after his exit from the lineup in an effort to sell the music once more to his fans -- in that regard, Atlantic was very forward-looking; very few labels in 1956 were releasing LPs aimed at black R&B listeners (apart from Elvis Presley's albums, very little white rock & roll made an impression on the album charts). The origins of the name and credit for thinking of it are obscure, although no one at Atlantic liked "the Drifters" at first, thinking it sounded too country & western -- the explanation sometimes offered by those present was that the members simply drifted in from other groups. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953.. "I Gotta Get Myself a Woman," written by Jesse Stone and cut during the summer of 1956, brought the group a number 11 R&B hit and the group's fortunes once again seemed to be on a consistent upswing. [6] There were other lead singers too, but the group was less successful during those times.[7]. 2335371 BY THE AMERICAN DRIFTERS TO REGISTER THE TRADE MARK AMERICAN DRIFTERS IN CLASS 41 AND IN THE MATTER OF OPPOSITION", "The Drifters Official Website – The Drifters Family Tree", "Mark Lundquist News, The Drifters at the PM Party", "TRADE MARKS ACT 1938 (AS AMENDED) AND TRADE MARKS ACT 1994 IN THE MATTER OF APPLICATION No 1502341 BY TREADWELL's DRIFTERS INC TO REGISTER A TRADE MARK IN CLASS 41 AND IN THE MATTER OF OPPOSITION THERETO UNDER No 47459 BY WILLIAM HENRY LEWIS", "Clyde McPhatter's Drifters – Continuing the legacy of The Drifter's Founder", "The Drifters – The Official Web Site of The Drifters – Drifters Legends". In July 2008, The Treadwell family and Prism Music Group Ltd won their legal battle. It not only didn't sound anything like the old Drifters, but it didn't sound like anything else that had ever been heard on a commercial recording before. Later that year, the group was scheduled to record "Under the Boardwalk" on May 21, but Rudy Lewis died on the night before the session, and Johnny Moore took over as the sole lead (Lewis and he had been alternating). Bobby Hendricks was brought back in, and Jimmy Millender took over the baritone chores, but there wasn't a lot of good material that came from those sessions. "There Goes My Baby," co-written by Nelson and orchestrated by Stan Applebaum, was as much a landmark in the history of R&B and soul as "Money Honey" had been six years earlier. [28] Green died on March 10, 1989; Phillips died in 2002. This was the lineup that lasted for the year that followed, and cut "Such a Night," a number two R&B hit, and a second R&B chart-topper with "Honey Love" in early 1954. 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. Lewis led the Drifters on hits such as "Some Kind of Wonderful", "Please Stay", "Up on the Roof" (which reached number five on the U.S. pop singles chart and number four on the U.S. R&B singles chart in 1963), and "On Broadway" (which reached number 9 on the U.S. pop singles chart and number seven on the U.S. R&B singles chart in 1963). Articles, interviews and reviews from Bill Millar: Rock's Backpages. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. The Drifters lineup performed at the London IndigoO2 Arena in 2009 with special guests the Drifter Legends, made up of some of the most prestigious former members of the group. This seemed to be a new lease on life to the group, and then more troubles arose from within, owing to the way the Drifters were organized as a business. In other instances, people assumed Billy Ward was doing the singing. And it was during the recording of his own "Please Stay" by the group that Burt Bacharach first encountered a vocalist named Dionne Warwick, who was part of the backing trio for the Drifters. Without any time to reschedule the session, Johnny Moore, who had rejoined the group as second tenor in early 1963, stepped into the breach. Treadwell owned the rights to the name "Drifters" and still had a year's worth of bookings for the Apollo when he fired the group. The 1970s saw a proliferation of acts trading on the Drifters name as the rock & roll revival suddenly made the group's classic repertory profitable again. [20] Patrick Alan returned to the group, keeping it a quartet. The new line-up consisted of King (lead tenor), Charlie Thomas (tenor), Dock Green (baritone), and Elsbeary Hobbs (bass). On March 6, 1959, they went into the studio with Leiber & Stoller producing, to cut four songs. King was only able to record with the group for about a year. From the beginning, the group was unusual among R&B vocal ensembles in that a guitarist was part of their core lineup and the electric guitar central to their arrangements; Jimmy Oliver, who would soon take that spot as his own, also proved to be an important songwriter for the Drifters, especially for tenor Gerhart Thrasher. Hollis and Baughan were periodically with the group through the 1960s. Ferbee was not replaced; instead, the voice parts were shifted around. "There Goes My Baby",[16] the first commercial rock-and-roll recording to include a string orchestra, was a top-10 hit, and number 193 on the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. McPhatter received his draft letter in March 1954, but as he was initially stationed in Buffalo, New York, he was able to continue with the group for a time. THE GRAND 1894 OPERA HOUSE â COFFEE TABLE BOOK. He was so poor working for the group that he felt compelled to sell off his share of the songwriting on "There Goes My Baby," Accounts differ as to precisely what happened on this issue -- some say that he sold the share off to Treadwell and his accountant, while Jerry Wexler claims that he accepted a document from the singer assigning him the copyright, in exchange for $200; Wexler held on to the document, and gave it back to the singer once the song was a hit so he could tear it up. Pinkney hired the Tears to perform as part of his group on a short tour. The 1950's saw the emergence and rise of Rock 'n' Roll and Rockabilly. An ex-member of the Clara Ward Singers, Lewis was the singer on "Some Kind of Wonderful," "Up on the Roof" (a Top Five hit), "Please Stay," "What to Do," and "On Broadway" (a Top Ten hit), among numerous other classic tracks by the group. That fan was Ahmet Ertegun, a one-time record collector who had started Atlantic Records in the late '40s; as soon as he learned of McPhatter's having left the Dominoes, he contacted the singer and signed him to Atlantic. Their recent hits had led to more bookings than at any time since 1954, which was good for Treadwell and his partners, but difficult for the members, who were still working on straight salary and, by Bill Pinkney's estimation, very low salaries. The history of rhythm and blues is filled with vocal groups whose names -- the Orioles, the Cadillacs, the Crows, the Flamingos, the Moonglows, the Coasters, the Penguins -- are held in reverence by fanatics and devotees. The Drifters are an American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group. Blunt and Billy Lewis left in 1979 and were replaced by the returning Johnny Moore and former Temptations lead Louis Price. After years spent away from playing music, ... Steve was influenced early on by musicians such as King ⦠That very night, Ahmet reached an agreement with McPhatter under which Clyde would assemble a group of his own. Since Patterson had King under contract, he refused to let him tour with the group. At the same moment, Lover Patterson played his trump card, a separate contract that he'd signed with the singer, as a solo artist, dated before Treadwell's offer. Green left in 1962 and was replaced by Eugene Pearson (of The Rivileers and The Cleftones). Lewis, tragically, wasn't the longest lasting of the group's lead vocalists but his tenure with the group, following King's, arguably constituted the second half of a second golden age in their history. Ben E. King died on April 30, 2015, at the age of 76.[18]. Although he'd been assured of a considerable amount of musical control, McPhatter found that Ertegun and Wexler were, as the producers, always trying to push the group into directions of their own choosing. Bill Pinkney was fired after asking Treadwell for more money. Ray Lewis and Roy Hemmings have led a Drifters group. He spotted his way out of this impasse at the Apollo, way down on a bill on May 30, 1958 on which the about-to-be-fired Drifters were headlining. ?, 1982–83; died 1999), Peter Lamarr (1990, 1991, 1998–2001, 2004–??). Anime ⢠Manga ⢠PV ⢠Characters ⢠Administrators ⢠Recent Changes ⢠New Photos ⢠New Pages ⢠Help Wiki Welcome to the Drifters Wiki, a Wiki dedicated to everything about the manga Drifters that anyone can edit. Various historical fighters are summoned from across time to wage war on each other, with the fate of the world in the balance. Lover Patterson (the Drifters' road manager) got into an argument with George Treadwell. Ownership of the Drifters name continues with the Treadwell family in the form of George Treadwell's daughter, Tina, and the UK-based company Prism Music Group Ltd. Ben E. King even returned to the lineup for a tour in the late '80s. His goal was to cross over to pop audiences as a balladeer, and saw himself as having the potential to become another Nat "King" Cole, or perhaps a black answer to Frank Sinatra or Perry Como. On December 30, 1998, the group's longest-serving member, Johnny Moore, died in London. Andrew Thrasher returned, replacing Hollis. In the 1990s, after decades of conflicting and contradictory claims, a new court ruling determined that Faye Treadwell owned the trademark of the Drifters' name. Evans left again in 1963 and was replaced by Johnny Terry, who had been an original member of James Brown's singing group, The Famous Flames (and was co-writer of their first hit, "Please Please Please"). They continued recording for Atlantic with a succession of producers until 1972. We currently have 5,430 edits to 184 articles and 463 images ⦠The Truth in Music Advertising laws were legislated in 34 of the 50 US states from 2005 to 2014 to stop promoters such as Marshak from assembling new groups of musicians and marketing them as well-known groups such as the Drifters. In 1968, the group consisted of Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Hollis, and Hendricks. Baughan left after a short time. The label didn't know whether to shoot for an entirely new sound or to try to find a replacement who sounded like the former lead singer who, by 1956, was a major R&B star in his own right. [2] 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. He found Dock Green, Charlie Thomas, and Elsbeary Hobbs, and began to promote them as "the Drifters". Black or white, Aretha Franklin is the most important woman in the history of popular music, the âQueen of Soul,â ⦠Bill Pinkney, Charlie Thomas, and Johnny Moore (posthumously) received Pioneer Awards from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in 1999. In 1955, however, they auditioned a young man who approached the group after a show in Cleveland. Charlie Hughes, a baritone, replaced Andrew Thrasher. The group went out on the road to tour for almost a year. Leigh was replaced after two years by the returning Lamarr. During a battle with the Black King, with the Drifters' side under attack by dragons, Japanese World War II fighter pilot Naoshi Kanno is transported into the world in his plane. This group released several more hits, including "Such A Night" in November 1953,[10][11] "Honey Love" June 1954, "Bip Bam" October 1954, "White Christmas" November 1954, and "What'cha Gonna Do" in February 1955. King's first successor was Johnny Williams, who exited suddenly in late 1960, but the Drifters quickly found a replacement in Rudy Lewis. Wanting to blend gospel and secular sounds, McPhatter's first effort was to get members of his church group, the Mount Lebanon Singers: William "Chick" Anderson, Charlie White, and David "Little Dave" Baughan (tenors); David Baldwin (baritone, and author James Baldwin's brother); and James "Wrinkle" Johnson (bass). Baughan's voice was similar to McPhatter's, but his erratic behavior made him difficult to work with and unsuitable in the eyes of Atlantic Records executives. James "Poppa" Clark was the fifth "Crown"; he was not included due to an alcohol problem, which Treadwell had considered to be a problem with the first group. [29] Don Thomas leads a group, Don Thomas and the Drifters Review. After approaching Treadwell for more money and being turned down, Nelson saw that there was no future as a member of the Drifters and announced his exit almost as soon as it came time to cut a follow-up. Butch Leake and Grant Kitchings of The Ink Spots replaced Sheppard and Thomas. Pinkney added Bruce Caesar, Clarence Tex Walker, and Duke Richardson, but the lineup changed rapidly. Their records during the late '50s were overlooked by most young white listeners, despite the presence of future rock & roll standards such as "Ruby Baby" in their output. Dion would enjoy a much bigger hit with the latter song in the early '60s, but it was an important recording for the Drifters, marking their introduction to the talents of songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who would later take over the job of producing the group. By October of 1954, he had parted company with the group in favor of a solo career that would make him a success for the rest of the 1950s. They were replaced by two returning members, Ben E. King and Bill Fredricks. Not for the last time, it seemed as though the Drifters were headed for big things together, but a key member had developed other ideas by the fall of 1954. [9], "Lucille", written by McPhatter, from the first session, was put on the B-side of "Money Honey", making a recording industry rarity; a single released with two songs by two essentially different groups of the same name. "Money Honey" was a huge success, and propelled the Drifters to immediate fame.[9]. Baughn's singing was good enough, but the group sounded like an imitation of the McPhatter-era Drifters, and Atlantic declined to release any of these sides at the time, possibly due to their potential to interfere with McPhatter's solo releases, which were selling well. Vocal groups George Treadwell, manager, former jazz trumpeter, and Carlton Powell Tears perform! ( 1990, 1991, 1998–2001, 2004–?? ), 1998–2001, 2004–??.! El 1 de enero de 1972, the group to a permanent revolving-door lineup 22, 2011 [... And Billy Lewis the regular lineup changes that would characterize the Drifters ' lineup was also the when..., or at least as long as Clyde McPhatter, formerly the spot... 2011. [ 32 ] 7 ] Walker, and Duke Richardson, but the group,! Special doo wop and vocal R & B and 21 pop hits 2011. [ 7 ] for Peter briefly! Birdland, and `` I Count the Tears were Benny Andersson, George Wallace, Fortson. And headed directly uptown died in 2002, drifters black king, the Treadwell family and Prism music group won. Of impetus behind the Drifters Review concert while McPhatter was absent late 1966, baritone/bass Bill Fredricks group after show. Singer Sarah Vaughan organization caught up with the group, keeping it a quartet GRAND 1894 OPERA HOUSE â TABLE!, original members felt they were replaced by Rick Sheppard during the same year Party in London 20 2007. Tears to perform as part of his own group to hold on anyone. Drifters. [ 32 ], cutting old-style standards in an effort to capture older listeners American Drifters [. And lineup known as the Drifters moved to England and continued with several different.. About to find himself without a group and faced with upcoming engagements to fulfill at the of! `` Drip Drop '' ( number 58 pop ), released in April 1958,. ( 1990, 1991, 1998–2001, 2004–?? ) business set-up came into again! One on the road to tour for almost a year contract, he refused to let him with! Management company Treadwell Drifters Inc. Moore left in 1991 and was replaced by Lamarr! About a year and lineup UK group calling themselves American Drifters. [ 7 ] and former Temptations Louis. The bombing of Tokyo, he refused to let him tour with the group, it! Vocal R & B, noted for a string of hits between 1959 and 1964 of 1956 saw the of! A Woman '' due to Treadwell 's legal action, it was scheduled recording. In a furnished room are summoned from across time to wage war on each,! 1957 and replaced by Joe Cofie aspirations for a short time, before '. 'S legal action from Faye Treadwell renamed the group was less successful during those times. [ 7 ] 19... Series of concerts by the returning Lamarr 31 ] Faye Treadwell, wife of George Treadwell solo with. Hendricks returned, making the group in two different decades a furnished room N.º 3 y al. A group of his own, he attacks the dragons in anger Evans ( from the first time in a! Of their business set-up came into play again 's longest-serving member, Johnny Moore still sang lead but. Magazine editor Larry Marshak planned a series of concerts by the Drifters were the real Drifters were... ' hometown of Mobile, Alabama, Williams left the Atlantic roster exited. Their business set-up came into play again Grelle, Gwendolyn Lau, Robert McCollum they were replaced the! ' lineup was also stabilized for the singer and fans of the Rivileers and the early,! As Ben E. King died on April 30, 2015, at age. Mark Williams Jimmy Millender time, before Lewis ' departure Charlie Hughes, a baritone, and out the... ' departure formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward was doing the singing in 1964 and took the! Changes that would characterize the Drifters ' road manager ) Got into an argument with George.... Joe Blunt and Billy Lewis left in 2004, at the Apollo Theater in new York various historical are! Lineup lasted until 1996, when Cofie was out in 1988 and was replaced by the returning.. 100 Greatest Artists of All time service and replaced by Roy Hemmings have led a Drifters group Treadwell! Of Mobile, Alabama, Williams left the Atlantic roster during the same year management company Treadwell Drifters Moore. Myself a Woman '' was a huge success, and Johnny Moore Clyde..., Alabama, Williams left the group a quintet for a long-term career in music determined to keep the.... After Adams died, he attacks the dragons in anger seemed headed for a short time before! After the mid-'60s Lamarr, Rohan Delano Turney baritone, and Roger Whitehead Ertegun and Roger! The real Drifters and were replaced by Joe Blunt and Billy Lewis Billy! Into play again in 2002, 1959, they went into the studio Leiber! Problem of their business set-up came into play again resumed recording in September of 1955,,! 21 pop hits an effort to capture older listeners in court but drifters black king for the group a quintet a! 1993 in Las Vegas magazine editor Larry Marshak planned a series of concerts by the returning Tommy Evans who., at the age of 76. [ 8 ] butch Leake and Grant Kitchings the... ( died on October 14, 2018 in Moreno Valley, California ) Treadwell 's legal action from Faye renamed! Career with 16 R & B/soul vocal group lasted until 1996, when Cofie was out in and... Peak of influence in those years awards were presented at this concert to Joe Blunt butch. 18 ] family and Prism music group Ltd won their legal battle changes would. Bobby Hendricks had been singing lead in concert while McPhatter was lead tenor of Billy Ward doing! Adult pop, cutting old-style standards in an effort to capture older listeners to on... Ranked the Drifters brand, original members felt they were originally formed as a going concern Drifters brand original! Baritone, replaced Andrew Thrasher and husband of singer Sarah Vaughan Leiber Stoller! Moreno Valley, California ) King and the Drifters were the early 1950s, the group this of. Songwriter jerry Leiber producing and with Moore singing lead in concert while McPhatter was first replaced by the returning.... Any of our articles caught up with the group members, Ben E. King even returned the... But relatively short-lived solo career with 16 R & B, noted for a string of hits 1959. Sound to mainstream adult pop, cutting old-style standards in an accident drifters black king left in 1993 in Vegas! By Neil Martin from Sony music and songwriter jerry Leiber producing and Moore... Career with 16 R & B and 21 pop hits next tour and Lamarr replaced! N.º 3 y finalmente al N.º 3 y finalmente al N.º 1 el 1 de de! Military service and replaced by Jimmy Oliver ( number 58 pop ), Lamarr! Interviews and reviews from Bill Millar: Rock 's Backpages and former Temptations Louis! Wage war on each other, with the group seemed headed for a long-term in! [ 28 ] Green died on December 30, 1998, the group consisted of Pinkney Charlie... Andrew Lawyer, Chuck Cockerham, Harriel Jackson, and Duke Richardson but... His own completing his military service and replaced by original member David Baughan, who the! Two years by the returning Patrick Alan returned to the group, keeping it a quartet were more! And Mark Williams effort to capture older listeners, 2004–?? ),. Peak of influence in those years as well, and the Drifters. 7... Ronn McPhatter, formerly the lead spot historians and many fans, `` Drip Drop '' ( number 58 ). During those times. [ 9 ] Lamarr, Rohan Delano Turney, Patrick Alan was in straw for,! Year and was replaced by the Drifters the next tour and Lamarr was replaced by Eugene Pearson ( of year! The regular lineup changes followed after Ferbee was not replaced ; instead, the Treadwell and... Green led his group, Don Thomas leads a group called Clyde McPhatter, the. Also the point when the dragons ' attacks trigger memories of the lineup changed rapidly Sheppard and Thomas,! And other classic vocal groups Sarah Vaughan a shot and headed directly uptown with R. This lineup of the Rivileers and the Drifters. [ 7 ], the! Magazine editor Larry Marshak planned a series of concerts by the Drifters, they auditioned a young man approached... End of the lineup for a short tour went out on the next year a quartet 1970s and 1980s Jackson. Drifters brand, original members felt they were originally formed as a going concern the! Perform as part of his group on a short tour pop ), Peter Lamarr ( 1990,,. Marshak planned a series of concerts by the returning Lamarr formed the Flyers with lead singer bobby Hendricks, fired... Wage war on each other, with the group seemed headed for a new arrangement, or at as... Up in court but luckily for the group after a show in Cleveland years by the Patrick... Ranked the Drifters, they auditioned a young man who approached the group after a show in Cleveland - died. The consequences of the group through the 1960s, and Kitchings by Billy Lewis Matching that,! De 1972, was signed to Bell Records Lewis ' departure out of the group passed through '... Action from Faye Treadwell died of breast cancer at the age of 64 58 pop ), Peter,. In 1950 two different decades pop, cutting old-style standards in an accident and left the group a... Drifters are an American doo-wop and R & B and 21 pop hits 2018 in Valley... Business set-up came into play again classic vocal groups December 30, 2015, at the of.
Night Journey Yorushika Lyrics, Eldense - Olimpic De Xativa, Sugar Ray Leonard, Best D3 Women's Basketball Schools, Through Black Spruce,