The Drifters’ history is incredibly complicated because so many singers have passed through its ranks since the group was first formed in mid-1953 with original lead tenor Clyde McPhatter.
I would like to credit US music historian Marv Goldberg, who has painstakingly pieced together their convoluted history here and here for helping me to piece together the very brief outline below.
When McPhatter left (after a final recording session in late 1954 while completing military service) for a solo career, the group’s manager George Treadwell acquired the rights to the band’s name.
In early 1958 he fired first tenor/bass singer Bill Pinkey following a dispute over money; Pinkney was also the band’s road manager and therefore was well aware of the state of their finances. A short time later, Treadwell fired the remaining members and established a new Drifters from The Crowns featuring longstanding member Charlie Moore (lead and tenor).
Pinkney quickly rounded up former Drifters – lead tenor singer David Baughan, who’d replaced McPhatter when he’d left for a solo career, as well as brothers Gerhart (second tenor) and Andrew Thrasher (baritone).
After securing the legal rights to the “Original Drifters” brand, they hit the road in 1958 and continued to tour (with Pinkney alongside changing personnel) until his death in 2007.
In the spring of 1965, British rock promoter Roy Tempest brought Treadwell’s latest version of The Drifters over for their debut British tour to promote their latest single “At the Club”.
According to Record Mirror’s 9 October 1971 issue, this was the only British tour that The Drifters undertook during the 1960s until September 1971.
All of the subsequent British tours The Drifters undertook during the 1960s (and there were around a dozen) were by Bill Pinkney’s rival version, The “Original Drifters” plus a fake version that was in fact The Invitations (see separate entry).
This entry, however, covers The Drifters (the original group) that George Treadwell managed. While future solo star Ben E King had been front man between mid-1958 and mid-1960, the line-up that participated in this spring 1965 comprised the following line up and, according to Melody Maker’s 3 April 1965 issue (page 7), had been together for three years (although that doesn’t appear to be correct judging by other sources).
It is not clear which British rock group backed The Drifters on this tour and Garage Hangover would like to hear from anyone who can provide further details of this group and the tour.
The Drifters:
Johnny Moore – lead and tenor
Charles Thomas – lead and tenor
Gene Pearson – baritone
Johnny Terry – bass
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Bill Davis (aka Abdul Samad) – guitar
Johnny Moore was arguably the most longstanding member, having been there from mid-1955 when key members of The Drifters were present, notably Bill Pinkney and David Baughan. He’d been drafted in late 1957 but returned in spring 1963. Significantly, Moore was the only member of The Drifters to still be with the group when they returned to Britain in September 1971 for their second tour.
Charles Thomas was the second most longstanding member, having joined in mid-1958. He would remain until August 1967 and was briefly replaced by Charles Baskerville before Milton Turner joined later that year. Don Thomas subsequently replaced Turner in late 1969 and remained until early 1971.
Gene Pearson had joined in mid-1962 and left in the summer of 1966 to be briefly replaced by Eddie Bowen and then Rick Sheppard, who remained until 1970.
Johnny Terry, who’d previously worked with James Brown, was the last to join this touring version of The Drifters in early 1963 and also left in mid-1966. First Dan Dandridge and then William Brent briefly replaced him that same year before baritone/bass singer Bill Fredericks joined around December 1966. Fredricks was still there when The Drifters returned to Britain for their second tour in late 1971.
When The Drifters returned in 1971, Johnny Moore and Bill Fredericks were joined by Butch Leak and Grant Kitchens.
Melody Maker’s 27 March issue, page 5, lists the following tour dates:
29 March 1965 – Parr Hall, Warrington, Cheshire (Melody Maker) Debut appearance
30 March 1965 – Stafford Hall, Altrincham, Greater Manchester (Melody Maker)
30 March 1965 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Melody Maker)
31 March 1965 – Cubic Club, Rochdale, Greater Manchester (Melody Maker)
31 March 1965 – Beachcomber, Bolton, Lancashire (Melody Maker)
1 April 1965 – Atalanta Ballroom, Woking, Surrey (Melody Maker)
1 April 1965 – Cromwellian, South Kensington, west London (Melody Maker)
2 April 1965 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire (Melody Maker)
3 April 1965 – Leyton Baths, Leyton, east London (Melody Maker)
3 April 1965 – Club Noreik, Tottenham, north London (Melody Maker)
4-9 April 1965 – Buckingham’s Playboy Room, Manchester and the Riverboat Club (formerly the Whisky A Go Go), Salford, Greater Manchester (Melody Maker/Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
10 April 1965 – Oasis, Manchester with Johnny B Great & The Quotations (Melody Maker/Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
11 April 1965 – Pigalle Club, Piccadilly, central London (Melody Maker)
11 April 1965 – Starlight Ballroom, Wembley, northwest London (Melody Maker)
We would welcome any recollections in the comments below