The Drifters

The Drifters were an American doo-wop group who started as a backing band for Clyde McPhatter in 1953.

They diverged their vocal abilities into RnB and Soul. Clyde McPhatter had been formerly the lead tenor for Billy Ward and his Dominoes group.

The original Drifters were the least stable of the great vocal groups of the day, as they were low-paid musicians hired by a George Treadwell, who incidentally owned the Drifters name from 1955.

Since Clyde McPhatter left the Drifters there has been a staggering 60 vocalists in the history of the Drifters. And this is set to increase as the group still tour. As members left they formed splinter groups as depending there band status and longevity of being a ‘Drifter’ they have some claim to the legendary name, some versions have been “Bill Pinkney’s Original Drifters”, and “Charlie Thomas’ Drifters”.

The Drifters have had 3 golden eras, the early 1950s, the 1960s, and the early 1970s. From these, the first Drifters, formed by Clyde McPhatter, was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as “The Drifters”. The second Drifters, featuring Ben E. King, was separately inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as “Ben E. King and the Drifters”.

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.

The (original) Drifters managed to set musical trends and give the public 13 chart hits.

Most of which are legendary recordings today.” 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 it saw their biggest successes on the UK pop charts, peaking with the number 2 hit “Kissin’ in the Back Row of the Movies”.

There are a number of original vinyl albums that can easily be obtained through specialist sites and independent record shops. 

CD albums are in abundance and combined ‘The Drifters’ have released over 300 compilation albums, qualities vary between labels, producers and what masters they were lifted from. One I can recommend is here: The Drifter – The Collection (2cd)