The Drifters are an American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. According to Rolling Stone, the Drifters were the least stable of the great vocal groups, as they were low-paid musicians hired by George Treadwell, who owned the Drifters' name from 1955, after McPhatter left. The Treadwell Drifters line has had 60 musicians, including several splinter groups by former Drifters members. These groups are usually identified with a possessive credit such as "Bill Pinkney's Original Drifters", "Charlie Thomas' Drifters". The three golden eras of the Drifters were the early 1950s, the 1960s, and the early 1970s. From these, the first Drifters, formed by Clyde McPhatter, were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as "The Drifters".
| Origin | New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, doo wop, soul, pop |
| Years active | 1953–present |
| Labels | Atlantic, Bell, Neon |
| Associated acts | Ben E. King, Clyde McPhatter |
| Members | Charlie Thomas, Louis Bailey, Stephen Brown, Jerome Manning, Jeff Hall |
| Past members | Clyde McPhatter, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, Charlie White, Bill Pinkney, Willie Ferbee, Walter Adams, Ben E. King, Doc Green, Derek Ventura, Bernard Jones, Lloyd Butch Phillips, Elsbeary Hobbs, Rudy Lewis, Tommy Evans, Johnny Lee Williams, Eugene Pearson, Johnny Terry, Harrell Dixon, J.T. Carter, Johnny Stewart, Terry King, Johnny Moore, Bobby Hendricks, Butch Leake, Rudy Ivan, Jimmy Lewis, Ray Lewis, Bill Fredericks, Louis Price, Maurice Cannon, Glenn Dodd, Pierre Herelle, Carlton Powell, Jason Leigh, Phil Watson, Michael Raysor, Dave Revels |
About The Drifters
Doo-wop and R&B/soul group originally formed to be a backing group for Clyde McPhatter. Various editions of The Drifters were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
Achievement of The Drifters
The long-lasting group would feature more than 60 original members in their history.
Top Facts You Did Not Know About The Drifters
George Treadwell - George McKinley Treadwell was an American jazz trumpeter and the manager of the Drifters. Treadwell played in the house band at Monroe's in Harlem in 1941–1942, then worked with Benny Carter later in 1942 in Florida.. The Drifters discography - This discography focuses solely on that of American vocal group the Drifters as managed by the Treadwell family.. Bell Records artists.. Doo-wop groups.. American rhythm and blues musical groups.. African-American musical groups.
Latest information about The Drifters updated on July 28 2021.
