drifters

Biography

The Drifters were an American rhythm-and-blues vocal group officially created in 1953 in New York City at the behest of Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun, who approached Clyde McPhatter after the vocalist was dismissed from Billy Ward and the Dominoes. The original incarnation, featuring McPhatter's distinctive falsetto that merged raunchy blues with gospel elements, achieved immediate success with their debut single "Money Honey" (1953), which reached number one on the Billboard rhythm-and-blues charts and remained there for an impressive 11 weeks. The group recorded several additional hits including "Such A Night," "Honey Love," and "White Christmas" (1954) before McPhatter left in 1955 to pursue a solo career following his military service.

The Drifters' story is unique in popular music history because the group was essentially two distinct ensembles sharing the same name. Manager George Treadwell, who held the copyright to the Drifters name, replaced the original lineup entirely in 1959 with members from the Five Crowns, led by Ben E. King. This second incarnation, working with songwriters and producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, achieved even greater commercial success, breaking into the pop charts with "There Goes My Baby" (1959)—remembered for its innovative orchestral strings and Latin rhythms—and reaching number one with "Save the Last Dance for Me" (1960). Subsequent lead singers including Rudy Lewis and Johnny Moore continued the group's success with hits like "This Magic Moment," "I Count the Tears," "Under the Boardwalk," and "Saturday Night At the Movies."

Throughout their career spanning from 1953 into the 1970s, the Drifters became trendsetters in rhythm and blues and rock and roll, seamlessly blending their gospel roots with classic R&B and soul arrangements that elevated everyday themes to artistic prominence. The group cycled through approximately 12 different lead singers and numerous supporting members, yet maintained a recognizable sound that became iconic in popular music. Their influence extended internationally, with Johnny Moore leading a reformed Drifters group that moved to England around 1972, achieving a series of British hits through 1975. The Drifters' legacy as pioneers who helped create soul music with gospel-influenced vocals continues to be honored in the music industry today.

Fun Facts

• The Drifters' name was not chosen because members drifted together from other acts, as commonly believed. Instead, each member wrote a name of their choice on a piece of paper and dropped it in a hat to randomly select the group name.
• The group cycled through approximately 12 different lead singers and enough members between 1953 and 1971 to make up several complete quintets, with two members even named Charlie Thomas who knew each other and were both originally from Virginia.
• During one early tour, the group experienced car trouble while passing through Fredericksburg, Virginia, on their way to Atlanta, forcing them to work for money to continue their journey.
• "Money Honey," the Drifters' debut single released in September 1953, became a million-seller despite never hitting the pop charts—it achieved this success entirely on the rhythm-and-blues charts where it spent over five months on the Best Seller list.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Ahmet Ertegun - Co-founder of Atlantic Records who discovered Clyde McPhatter and encouraged him to form the Drifters after McPhatter was fired from Billy Ward and the Dominoes (Formation and early recordings of the Drifters) [1953]
• Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller - Songwriter-producers who guided the second incarnation of the Drifters and wrote their breakthrough hits ("There Goes My Baby," "Save the Last Dance for Me," and other major hits) [1959-1960s]

Key Collaborators

• Clyde McPhatter - Original lead singer and founder of the first Drifters lineup; discovered other members at Mount Lebanon Church in Harlem ("Money Honey," "Such A Night," "Honey Love," "White Christmas") [1953-1955]
• Ben E. King - Lead singer of the second Drifters lineup; brought from the Five Crowns by manager George Treadwell ("There Goes My Baby," "Save the Last Dance for Me," "This Magic Moment," "I Count the Tears") [1959-1960]
• Rudy Lewis - Lead singer who replaced Ben E. King and continued the group's success (Various recordings in the early 1960s) [1961-1964]
• Johnny Moore - Early member of the original group and later returned as lead singer for the group's final pop hits; led reformed Drifters internationally ("Under the Boardwalk," "Saturday Night At the Movies") [Original group 1953-1955; later 1964 onwards]
• George Treadwell - Manager who held the copyright to the Drifters name and orchestrated the complete lineup change in 1959 (Management of both Drifters incarnations) [1953-1970s]

Artists Influenced

• Soul and R&B artists - The Drifters' innovative blending of gospel vocals with R&B arrangements and their use of orchestral strings and Latin rhythms influenced subsequent generations of soul and R&B musicians (Their entire catalog, particularly "There Goes My Baby" and "Save the Last Dance for Me") [1950s-1960s onwards]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Under the Boardwalk (Under the Boardwalk)
2. Save the Last Dance for Me (Save the Last Dance for Me)
3. Up on the Roof (Under the Boardwalk)
4. Saturday Night at the Movies (The Good Life With the Drifters)
5. This Magic Moment
6. White Christmas
7. Some Kind of Wonderful (Save the Last Dance for Me)
8. On Broadway (Under the Boardwalk)
9. This Magic Moment
10. This Magic Moment

External Links

• Spotify
• [Wikipedia](Not provided in search results)