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U.K.
Pop Chart

#62 

     The Coasters

#55

#80

#1

UK #30

#81

<200

#1

UK #12

 
  Title  (and record)
 

   U.S.
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U.K.
Pop Chart

#19

UK #6

#54

#7

UK #15

UK #41

#1 Hits:
1950
1951
1951
1951
1952
1952
1953
1953
1954
1954
1955
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1959

Double Crossing Blues
Sixty-Minute Man
Don' t You Know I Love You
Fool, Fool, Fool
Have Mercy Baby
Baby Don´t Do It
Help Me Somebody
Money Honey
Work With Me Annie
Earth Angel
Sincerely
Only You
The Great Pretender
Searchin´
Yakety Yak
There Goes My Baby
Poison Ivy

The first successful gospel-influenced R&B vocal group - formed by Billy Ward, pianist /composer /arranger - and also lead singer on several recordings after 1952 (born in Georgia September 15, 1921 - died in California February 16, 2002); with Rose Marks as manager and co-writer of several of their hits in New York City. Group originally called The Ques (no recordings), comprising of two singers from the Mount Lebanon Singers of Harlem (McPhatter and White)) and two singers from the 5 International Gospel Singers of South Carolina (Lamont and Brown). Won talent contest at the Apollo in 1950 and debuted on TV that same year as The Dominoes. Group billed and labeled Billy Ward & His Dominoes from December, 1952 (starting with "I´d Be Satisfied"). Lead singer Clyde McPhatter billed as Clyde Ward ("brother of coach Billy Ward"). The group located to Las Vegas and Los Angeles in 1957.
Recording debut: New York November 14, 1950 Chicken Blues / Do Something For Me - Federal 12001.
Records for: Federal 50-55, King 53-56, Jubilee 1954, Decca 56-57, Liberty 57-59, ABC 1960, King 1960.

Search on The Dominoes | Billy Ward & his Dominoes
Billy Ward and the Dominoes at Wikipedia 
| More on the Dominoes | The Dominoes  |
Discography and album covers

Clyde with the Dominoes

Billy Ward and the Dominoes

Jackie with the Dominoes

"The Mighty Clovers" - Pioneer group of the Baltimore/New York tradition, mixing blues with gospel and ballad styles - and the most popular R&B vocal group of the early 1950s. Formed as a trio by Harold Lucas with Billy Shelton and Thomas Woods in 1946 in Washington, DC (who may have - but prob not - recorded with the group on their first recording for Rainbow, and both returned to Lucas as he reformed the group during the ´70s and ´80s). Became The 4 Clovers when John Bailey joined. Manager: Lou Krefetz, who after one record for Rainbow introduced the group to Atlantic in late 1950 (coached by Jesse Stone). Many of the Clovers´ early hits were written by Ahmet Ertegun. In 1954 they appeared on the first Alan Freed show and in the "Showtime at the Apollo" TV series. Bailey entered the Army in 1952, returning in 1955 - but his replacement Billy Mitchell (who had sung with Joe Morris outfit) stayed with the group, now becoming a sextet, which toured Europe in 1957. The Clovers had the same members for many years (although Mitchell left for a short while in 1957). From the ' 60s  several different Clovers led by Lucas and by Bailey toured during later years. Harold Lucas and Harold Winley were still active during the late ´90s. Today Johnny Mason leads teh former Harold Lucas group, and Harold Winley has recently  formed a new Clovers group (The Original Clovers with their own website).
Recording debut: New York City 1950 Yes Sir That´s My Baby / Come Back To Me - Rainbow 122; first for Atlantic February 22, 1951 Don´t You Know I Love You / Skylark - Atlantic 934.
Records for: Atlantic 51-58, Poplar 1958, United Artists 59-61, Winley 61-62.

Original recording line-up: John "Buddy" Bailey, lead (born 1930 in Washington) Matthew McQuater, ten Harold Lucas, bar (& spokesman) Harold "Jerome" Winley, bass (born in Washington - sang with a late line-up of Ink Spots - for över 25 years - and is the only surviving original Clover, again active with a late line-up) Bill Harris, gtr (born April 14, 1925 in North Carolina, died December 5, or 10, 1988) Later members/leads: Charlie White 52-53 (from the Dominoes and the Checkers; substituting for Bailey) Billy Mitchell from late 1953 (repl White - and becoming sixth member from 1955 after Bailey's return; born 1931 in Washington, DC; died on November 5, 2002) Essential CDs: The Very Best of... - Rhino RHCD 72971 or: Down In The Alley-The Best of... - Atlantic 82312-2; .. and .. Love Potion No. 9 - UA/EMI CDP7-96336-2 Editor´s choise: The Clovers and The Clovers Dance Party (2CD) - Sequel RSA CD 857 and 858 Search on The Clovers The Clovers at Wikipedia Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash (live)   | The Clovers | The Clovers | The Clovers | Discography and album covers

"The Apollo Kings" - Underrated, but passioned, truly raw church-styled high-quality pioneer R&B vocal group (with the tonation on -"ales"). Originally a gospel group formed in the very late 1930s, named The Royal Sons Quintet in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; consisting of loose members including cousins Lowman (nicknamed "Pete") Pauling (who became the only one surviving the secular transition) and Clarence Pauling (later Clarence Paul, 1928-1995), Anthony Price, William Samuels, and Windsor King (sometimes also brother Curtis Pauling and pianist Royal Abbitt, 1932-1995); and later also featuring Johnny Holmes. In 1943 Johnny (John) Tanner and Otto Jeffries joined the group. Jimmy (James, sometimes also called Johnny) Moore replaced Tanner in 1944 and stayed with the group when Tanner returned from Army services. In the late 1940s Obadiah Carter joined and later replaced Samuels in mid 1951. The group turned secular and transformed into the most down-home sounding R&B vocal group of all. Some albums and reissues were released as The Five Royales, The 5 Royales and as The 5 Royals (but they themselves preferred The '5' Royales - the group often actually were six singers even during the 1950s). All six members sang leads, although Johnny Tanner took care of most of the songs (written by member Lowman Pauling). The group´s early producer and recording technician: Carl LeBow. Produced by Henry Glover on most King tracks.
Recording debut: New York City August 1951 as the Royal Son's Quintet (actually a sextet featuring William Samuels) in Winston-Salem Bedside Of A Neighbor / Journey´s End - Apollo 253; and New York City (still a sextet featuring Johnny Holmes) October 1951 Come Over Here / Let Nothing Separate Me - Apollo 266; first secular recording December 1951 Too Much Of A Little Bit / Give Me One More Chance as by The Royalls - Apollo 434; first recording as The "5" Royales August 5, 1952 Courage To Love / I Know You Know - Apollo 441.
Records for: Apollo 52-54, King 54-60, Home of the Blues 60-61 (Memphis), VeeJay 61-62, ABC 1962, Smash 64-65.

Secular recording line-up thruout the years: Johnny L. Tanner, lead (born in Forsyth, NC, Nov 28, 1926 - died in Winston-Salem, NC Nov 8, 2005) James (Jimmy) E. Moore, ten (and lead on some early tracks, died in New York August 16, 2008 at the age of 82) Obadiah Carter, bar (born 1925; died July 1994) Otto Jeffries, bass (later road manager and occasional singer, 1912-1975) Lowman "El" Pauling, gtr (and extra bass vcl; born 1926; died from epileptic seizure on December 26, 1973) Gene "June" Tanner, ten from c:a December 1953 (substituting for Jeffries - and extra lead from 1957 - born 1936, died December 29, 1994) New members (after Paulings solo career): Robert "Pee Wee" Burris, gtr Eudell Graham, lead (Johnny Tanner left in December, 1963, born 1933; died 1995)   Essential CD: Monkey, Hips And Rice-Anthology (2CD) - Rhino R2 71546 Favorite CD: All Righty! - The Apollo Recordings 1951-1955 - WestSide WESM 591 (29 great tracks). Search on The Five Royales | Search on The 5 Royales The "5" Royales at Wikipedia

| More on The "5" Royales |  nice pdf-presentation |

"The Twisters" - Emotional, gospel-influenced Detroit pioneers, formed in 1952 as The Royals, and involved with Johnny Otis on their first record "Every Beat Of My Heart" (in Cincinnati, Ohio with Otis on vibes). Before that Jackie "Sonny" Wilson, Little Willie John, and even Levi Stubbs (later of The Four Tops) rumored to have been original members together with the group´s originator Alonzo Tucker, who was an early Detroit musician and organizer (and later worked with LaVern Baker and Jackie Wilson again). The group changed name to the Midnighters on the second pressings of "Work With Me Annie" after it became a hit in 1954 (The Royals´ version had "Sinner´s Prayers" as flip - and The Midnighters´ version had "Until I Die"  with the same catalogue number - and same master number). The group had two successful music craze periods - mid 50s (produced by Ralph Bass and Henry Glover) and in the early 60s, as the group re-formed and changed billings to Hank Ballard & The Midnighters (and also released forthcoming records as Hank Ballard and His Midnighters on Federal´s "mother" King). "The Twist" was originally recorded by Ballard and his group for VeeJay (unissued at that time) before Syd Nathan accepted it for King in 1958.
Recording debut: as The Royals c:a March 1952 Every Beat Of My Heart / All Night Long - Federal 12064; first with Hank Ballard (as the Royals): Cincinnati, Ohio May 2, 1953 Get It - Federal 12133.
Records for: Federal 52-58, King (Hank Ballard & The Midnighters) 59-67.


Booth, Ballard, Sutton, Tucker, and Woods.

Re-formed line-up from 1965:
Hank Ballard, Frank Stadford, Walter Miller, Wesley Hargrove;
Hank reformed his group several times during later years with guitarist J.C. Billy Davis (who also had substituted for Cal Green late 1959-early 1962)
 
Essential CD: Sexy Ways - The Best of... - Rhino R2 71512;
Editor's Choise: Ther Very Best of the Royals and the Midnighters - Collectables COL-CD-2828
and The Very Best of Hank Ballard and the Midnighters - Collectables COL-CD-2823
For Collectors: Nothing But Good 1952-1962 - Bear Family 5CD Box BCD 16795 EK
Reading: King of the Queen City - The Story of King Records by Jon Hartley Fox (US 2009)
Search on The Midnighters | Hank Ballard
Hank Ballard and the Midnighers at Wikipedia
The Midnighters
| Hank Ballard & The Midnighters | The Midnighters |
The Midnighters at Vocal Group Hall of Fame

Important "doo wop" group, baptized by rock and roll "coiner" Alan "Moondog" Freed. They originally were formed as the Crazy Sounds (no recordings) in Louisville, Kentucky in 1951 and later acted in Cleveland, Ohio. Moved to Chicago in 1953. Several late ´50s records by the Moonglows were issued as Harvey & the Moonglows. Marvin Gaye shortly worked with the group, when Bobby Lester, who had led several Moonglows recordings (and also some Checker recordings as Bobby Lester & The Moonlighters - who were the Moonglows) had quit. Soon after the group disbanded. Harvey Fuqua - songwriter and leader of the group created and produced the Spinners in 1961 (after the Moonglows had split) and became heavily involved in the leadership of Motown Records. Today Harvey sometimes acts wich the current members of the Sheps in a revivival Moonglows group.
Recording debut: Cleveland, Ohio 1952 I Just Can´t Tell No Lie / I´ve Been Your Dog - Champagne 7500; Chicago October, 1953 Baby Please - Chance 1147 and Just A Lonely Christmas - Chance 1150.
Records for: Chance 53-54, Chess 54-58 ("Sincerely" issued as by The Moonglow's), Checker (as Bobby Lester & The Moonlighters) 1954, RCA 1972.

Essential CD: Their Greatest Hits - MCA/Chess CD 9379 (or: Blue Velvet-Ultimate Collection (2CD) - MCA/Chess CHD2-9345) For Collectors: The Flamingos Meet the Moonglows - Vee-Jay CD NVD2-706 Search on The Moonglows The Moonglows at Wikipedia Great article by Marv Goldberg The Moonglows | More on The Moonglows | | Vocal Group Hall of Fame | Discography and album covers

A qualitative - long-lasting - vocal group formed in Chicago in 1951 as the Swallows - soon changed to the Five Flamingos or "5 Flamingo Boys" (either ones no recordings), due to an already existing Swallows group - all black Hebrews. The Flamingos are regarded as one of the most versatile groups of early R&B and worked out a professional stage act. The group signed for George Goldner´s End Records in 1958, where the big successes finally struck. The Careys are not brothers and not cousins - not relatives at all, although Zeke moved in with the Jake Carey family in Baltimroe and both left for Chicago around 1950. They still acted with Flamingo line-ups in the ´90s and Terry Johnson started a rival Flamingos group during the 60's (after Hunt had left the original group). Terry's group was joined by Nate Nelson around 1962.
Recording debut: Chicago, January 28, 1953 If I Can´t Have You / Someday, Someway - Chance 1133.
Records for: Chance 53-54, Parrot 54-55, Checker 55-56, Decca 57-58, End September 58-63; Checker 1964.

Original recording line-up:
Jake Carey, bass (born in Baltimore September 9, 1923 - died December 10, 1997)
Zeke Carey, second tenor (born January 24, 1933 in Bluefield, Virginia - died in Washington, DC December 24, 1999)
Johnny Carter, first tenor (born June 2, 1934 in Chicago; later sang with the Dells - died August 21, 2009)
Sollie McElroy, lead tenor (born July 16, 1933 in Gulfport, Miss - died January 15, 1995; replacing original non recording member Earl Lewis)
Paul Wilson, baritone (born January 6, 1935 in Chicago replaced orginal non-recording Judah Byrd - died in May, 1988)
New line-up from late 1954:
Nate Nelson, lead (born April 10, 1932 in Chicago - died June 1, - some files say April 10 -  1984; who joined Terry Johnson around 1962 and then the Platters in 1966)
the Carey's, Carter, and Wilson
Later line-up changes (from July, 1956):
Zeke Carey and Johnny Carter left for Army services to 1958 and then joined the Dells - substituted by Tommy Hunt (born June 18, 1933 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
and singer/guitarist Terry Johnson, who sang lead on Lovers Never Say Goodbye together with Paul Wilson
(born November 12, 1935 in Baltimore, Maryland - Terry started his "Modern Flamingos in 1961, and still has a Flamingos group)
Carter did not return to the Flamingos, but joined the Dells after his services. Zeke returned to the group in 1959 - now a sextet - and Hunt later went solo and the group again became a quintet.
 
Essential CD: The Best of... - Rhino R2 70967*
CD for Collectors: The Flamingos meet The Mooonglows - Vee-Jay CD NVD2-706 (the complete Chance recordings).
Search on The Flamingos
The Flamingos at Wikipedia
The Flamingos
| The Flamingos | Terry Johnson´s Flamingos |
Discography and album covers
Jump Children video (great one)

The hit-making, internationally famous group, who actually were formed twice - 1953 in New York City to back Clyde McPhatter on Atlantic Records, who recruited members from his old gospel partners in the Mount Lebanon Singers, including David Baughan, and then re-formed them with other gospel-experienced singers - and in 1958, when a whole new group emerged (featuring Ben E. King), recruited by The Drifters´ manager George Treadwell who hired The (Five) Crowns and re-named them (still on Atlantic). The group was billed on records as Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters and The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter 1953-54. Clyde owned the name of The Drifters together with manager George Treadwell - but sold his share to George when he started his solo career. Produced by Jerry Wexler and Ahmet Ertegun during Clyde´s years; and many hits of 1959-1963 were produced by Leiber-Stoller. The Drifters emerged into at least three different touring groups during the 70s: 1. Bill Pinkney´s Original Drifters (by many regarded as "the best", featuring David Baughan, the Thrasher brothers, Bobby Hendricks, Bobby Lee Hollis, and Jimmy Lewis  - on and off - and who have recorded several times - remnants of this group kept touring under Bill´s lead - nowadays including Clyde's son Ron). 2. Moore´s "legal" and heavily touring group up to Moore' s death (Bobby Hendricks led Faye Treadwell's US Drifters after Moore´s death up to around 2003 - but as the UK Drifters awoke again Hendricks uses the name the Bobby Hendricks Drifters). 3. Charlie Thomas´ touring and recording group (that group has been recording since 1972 - often featuring Beary Hobbs - who´s name is nowadays fronting the Larry Marshak group of 2000+). The first Thomas group was managed by Larry Marshak and they actually won the U.S. rights to the name through an early court decision in the 1970s - nowadays rejected, see below). Even Ben E. King re-joined both Thomas´ (1970s) and Moore´s (1980s) groups. Just prior to Bill Pinkney's death, Pinkney, Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas and Bobby Hendricks worked on stage together for a reunion meeting 15-17 May, 2007 (also featuring Pinkney's Original Drifters and Charlie Thomas' back-up - Lou Bailey, Jerome Manning and Stephen Brown). Charlie Thomas' Drifters recorded a CD album "Charlie Tjomas' Drifters Live - The Original Legacy Continues" around 2007. Lately Tina Treadwell's UK Drifters have calles themselves The Official Drifters (featuring Steve King, Maurice Cannon, Michael Williams, and Damion Charles).
Recording debut: NYC June 23 1953 (with Clyde, Baughan and former members of the Mount Lebanon Singers) Lucille (issued on Atlantic in 1954); August 9, 1953 (famous line-up plus Willie Ferbee, bass - Pinkney sang baritone on this session and changed to bass since Ferbee only attended one session) Money Honey / The Way I Feel - Atlantic 1006; first re-formed session NYC March 6, 1959 There Goes My Baby / Oh My Love - Atlantic 2025.
Records for: Atlantic 53-71, Bell/Arista 72-75. Charlie Thomas´ Drifters: Musicor 1974, Trip, Gusto, EMI International.

Listen to "White Christmas" with The Drifters featuring Bill Pinckney and Clyde McPhatter

Re-formed recording line-up:
Ben E. King, lead/baritone, (born Benjamin Earl Nelson September 23, 1938 Henderson, North Carolina)
Charlie Thomas, lead/tenor (from Virginia - Thomas, born April 7, 1937 - some files say 1939, is still semi-active and deserves some good late years)
Dock Green, tenor (who later also had his own "Drifters"-group for a while during the '70s.)
Elsbeary Hobbs, bass (born ca 1936 - died May 31, 1996 /other files say in 2000/ after several years of touring with Thomas´ group)
Reggie Kimber, gtr (1958-1959 or 61)
Leads.
Ben E. King 59-60
Johnny Lee Williams (extra lead a short period 1959, as plans for King's solo career were made)
Thomas 60-62 (who continued to sing co-lead up to 1968 and in 1971 started his own Drifters-group with Hobbs)
New leads:
Rudy Lewis 61-63 (repl. King; born August 28, 1936 - died on May 20, 1964)
Johnny Moore (back again) 1963 - onwards (with the group turning from a quintet to a quartet after Lewis' death)
New members during the ´60s:
Billy "Abdul Samad" Davis, gtr (from mid 1959 or from 1961 up into 1968)
Tommy Evans, bass (back by mid 1961; repl. Hobbs)
Gene Pearson, baritone (from the Rivileers, replaced Green by late 1962; born 1935 - died on April 6, 2000)
Johnny Terry, bass (from 1963 - this is not the James Brown Terry)
Rick Sheppard (replaced Pearson in 1966 and quit in 1970 and has his own Drifters-group today)
Bill Fredericks (baritone from 1967, replaced Johnny Terry, and quit around 1974 - no longer with us)
Don Thomas (entered in 1969 as fourth singer after a period of a Drifters trio)
Lineup 1970:
Moore, Sheppard, Don Thomas, Fredericks, Butch Mann (gtr)
Lineup mid 1970s:
Moore, Clyde Brown, Butch Leake, Billy Lewis
Lineup 1982:
Ben E. King, Fredericks, Ray Lewis and Louis Price
Lineup 1983-1985:
Moore, Ben E. King, Clyde Brown, Joe Blunt
Line-up mid 1980s:
Moore, Ray Lewis, Billy Lewis plus different fourth singers
The 1990s: Johnny Moore,lead; Rohan Turner,tenor; Roy Hemmings,baritone; Joe Cofie,baritone
| Family Tree | with all the line-ups
The current UK group: Peter Lamarr, Patrick Alan, Rohan Delano Turney, Victor Bynoe.
 
Essential CD: The Definitive Soul Collection (2CD) - Rhino 77662 - 30 chronological tracks
or: The Essentials - Rhino R2 76075 or : Rockin´ & Driftin´ (3CD) - Rhino R2 72417
or: Let The Boogie Woogie Roll (2CD) - Atlantic 81927-2 and
All-Time Greatest Hits And More (2CD) - Atlantic 81931-2):
or: The Definitive Drifters (2CD) - WEA WSMCD137 (UK , issued in 2003) - 58 tracks of whole career
Editor´s choise: The 7CD series: The Drifters Anthology - Sequel RSACD 803, 815, 817, 833, 834, 835, 836.
Reading: Save the Last Dance for Me - The Musical Legacy of The Drifters by Tony Allan with Faye Treadwell
(Popular Culture Ink, 1993 - updated and republished 2005 in softback);
The Drifters by Bill Millar (UK 1971);
Drifters 1 by Bill Pinkney - 50 years 1953-2003 (US 2003)
Search on The Drifters | Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters | Ben E. King
The Drifters at Wikipedia
The Story of The Drifters
Charlie Thomas' Drifters

The Drifters at The Blues Database
White Christmas video (with Bill Pinkney of today)
 
| The Drifters Story | The Drifters | The Drifters official web site (Europe) |
| Rhino´s Drifters Box | Unoffical Drifters Shrine |
Vocal Group Hall of Fame  | The Drifters after Clyde
Discography and album covers
 
Great label shots and images (don't miss this one)

o

on Ben E.King

| Charlie Thomas' Drifters | Charlie Thomas |
| Thomas |
| Bill Pinkney´s Original Drifters |

Bobby Hendrick's Drifters
touring with Billy Richards' Coasters
and Sonny Turner's Platters in 2008)
 

The following is an announcement by the law firm of Epstein Becker & Green: U.S district court judge overturns jury verdict stating Drifters  had abandoned trademark; judge upholds fraud verdict in registration of name by subsequent promoter The widow of the Drifters' long-time manager won't have to sing "There Goes My Baby" after all, thanks to a district court decision overturning a jury verdict that found she had abandoned the name of the classic 1950's rock-n-roll vocal group. In a July 30, 1999 decision with far reaching implications for the entertainment industry, Judge Nicholas H. Politan of the U.S. District Court  in Newark, N.J. overturned a jury verdict that found that Faye Treadwell abandoned the Drifters after the group ceased performing regularly in the United States in the mid-1970's. Different groups managed by the plaintiff in the case, promoter Larry Marshak, have been staging performances using the Drifters' name since that time. Ms. Treadwell was represented by James P. Flynn of the law firm Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. In the same decision -- Larry Marshak v. Faye Treadwell, et. al. (Civ. No. 95-3794, July 30, 1999) -- Judge Politan emphatically upheld a jury finding that, in 1976, Marshak and three former Drifters group members filed a fraudulent trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, despite knowing that rights to the Drifters' name belonged to The Drifters, Inc., a corporation owned by Ms. Treadwell. The threat of suits based on that fraudulently obtained trademark had kept Ms. Treadwell's group from performing in the United States. Ms. Treadwell managed the group with her late husband, George Treadwell, the group's original manager, from their marriage in 1955 until his death in 1967. Ms. Treadwell has served as the group's manager since then. Together   they had made, in Judge Politan's words, "all final decisions relating to the performances, costumes, appearance bookings, musical content, . . . and personnel changes" in the period in which the classic Drifters' hits were first recorded. Indeed, the Treadwells had been responsible for creating the image and sound that made those songs chart-toppers. Judge Politan's decision reverses an August 1998 jury verdict, which found that although promoter Marshak filed his application for federal trademark protection fraudulently, he still held common law rights to the Drifters' trademark. The jury held that Marshak was able to obtain common law trademark protection because Ms. Treadwell had not actively used the Drifters' name in conjunction with performances in the United States for close to a decade. In overturning the jury's verdict, Judge Politan ruled that uninterrupted and continuing royalties from ongoing recording sales and airplay of original Drifters' songs -- including There Goes My Baby, Under the Boardwalk and Up On the Roof -- constituted continued commercial use of the Drifters' name in the United States, and therefore no abandonment had occurred.

The decision has widespread ramifications for the entertainment industry, which is fighting the promotion of music groups that perform under famous names, but with no relation to the original music pioneers behind the hit songs for which the groups are known. A bill introduced in Congress by Rep. Dennis Kuchinich (D-Ohio) and Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-Ga), entitled the "Truth in Rock Act," would help old chart-toppers defend their names and hit songs from being involuntarily "franchised" by unscrupulous promoters -- some of whom might be too young to even remember when the original songs were hits. Ms. Treadwell's attorney, James P. Flynn, of Epstein Becker & Green's Newark N.J. office said: "The oldies market has seen a boom over the past few years, but many of the industry's pioneers like Faye Treadwell have been left singing the blues. There's been a scramble to buy, or sometimes just take, the names of popular groups from the golden era of rock and roll. We see this ruling as a victory not only for our client, but for the many music pioneers who have become dispossessed through certain persons' clever use of lawsuits and loopholes in the existing laws governing trademarks." A copy of the complete decision is available upon request. About Epstein Becker & Green Epstein Becker & Green is a full-service law firm with more than 280 attorneys in 11 cities across the United States. The firm practices in the areas of commercial litigation, intellectual property, employment law, healthcare, corporate and securities law, government contracts and elder law. The firm is a founding member of the International Lawyers Network (ILN), a confederation of full-service law firms located in 67 countries on six continents.
CONTACT: The PR Consulting Group Liz Hall or Jim Haggerty 212/683-8100 TICKERS: KEYWORD:   NEW JERSEY
BW0027  AUG 06,1999 5:17 PACIFIC 8:17  EASTERN .
| more on the legal fight |

www.soulsounds.com on the legal matters of
The Drifters, The Platters, The Coasters

Ben E. King.
 

The true Drifters after
Ben E. King´s leave, with
Charlie Thomas and Rudy Lewis.
 

Charlie Thomas´ Drifters
of 1972, promoted by Larry Marshak.
 
 

Bill Pinkney and Charlie Thomas
- meeting in late 1999.

"The Flying Platters" - Manager and song-writer Buck Ram´s (died 1991) internationally famous balladeers and the world´s best known vocal group. Originated from a Los Angeles line-up of late 1952 comprising Cornell Gunter, Gaynell and Alex Hodge, and Joe Jefferson (who were called the Flamingoes - of Los Angeles). Curtis Williams (of The Hollywood Flames and The Penguins) was also a some-time member. In January 1953 bass singer Herb Reed entered (replacing Curtis) and the group changed its name to The Platters (Gaynell was still around but soon left). Reed and Gunter sang lead and soon David Lynch replaced Joe. Tony Williams joined as lead in June, 1953. Soon after Gunter left (although he joined them for a short tour in 1957). Gunter's new group the Flairs was managed by Buck Ram). Around January, 1954 Buck Ram became the Platters'  manager and soon decided that the group needed a female singer and they found Zola Taylor (14 years of age at that time) rehearsing at Alex Hodge´s house with Gunter´s sister Shirley (who led her group, the Queens). The Platters had already done some recordings with female guest lead by Linda Hayes (Tony´s sister). Zola entered in March, 1954. In August, 1954  Paul Robi (who later changed his name to Roby) replaced Alex Hodge.

The group was contracted to Mercury when Buck Ram made a deal moving the Penguins to that label. They re-recorded a 1954 (by then unissued Federal recording of May 20), "Only You", (which Ram had composed several years earlier). Tony Williams re-activated his own new Platters for some years, as his solo career didn't work out as i hoped. Beyond the many phony groups sporadically acting as Platters, at least six groups have evolved from Ram´s group - Monroe Powell´s Ram-succession and qualitative group in Las Vegas - (still active, mostly in Florida and no longer under the Ram-banner - touring as "Monroe Powell´s Platters Revue" - recently settling their legal matters with Herb Reed´s Platters out of court); Williams´ revived group after several unsuccessful solo years (in the early ´90s featuring Herb Reed); Sonny Turner´s "new" Platters; Herb Reed´s touring "The Five Platters" lineup (initially including Paul Robi), nowadays called "Herb Reed's Platters" (stopped by the "Ram"-Platters-group to call themselves just "The Platters"); Robi´s revival group (nowadays managed by Robi´s widow); and the Buck Ram Platters (without any original Platter and with new management, Jean Bennett, Ram's former aid). The groups to check out live today are really Monroe Powell´s (Monroe also acts with a late line-up of InkSpots) and Herb Reed's.

Recording debut: Cincinnati, Ohio September, 1953 Give Thanks / Hey Now - Federal 12153, and I´ll Cry When You´re Gone / I Need You All The Time - Federal 12181 (The Platters'  final Federal session took place in January, 1955, again featuring Linda Hayes).
Records for: Federal 53-55, Mercury 55-64, Musicor 66-71.

The Platters Information Site
Marv Goldberg on The Platters
| The Platters | The Platters
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Discography and album covers
Only You video

Great label shots and images (don't miss this one)

"The Caddys" - Cult group of New York´s Sugar Hill - formed 1953 in Harlem called the Carnations (no recordings). Discovered by Lover Patterson, who brought them to Jubilee´s subsidiary Josie, where they were managed by Esther Navarro with orchestra led by saxophonist Jesse Powell. The group were the first to choose a car name (breaking the tradition of birds giving names to vocal groups). The Cadillacs were also the first to extensively use professional choreography (Cholly Atkins). They soon turned into two different groups for the same label. Today they have fans all over the world - revived and active, and touring extensively for the last couple of decades. Earl Carroll left the Coasters in late 1979 and revived his old group, back in business again with his old half-brother and original Cadillacs friend Bobby Phillips.
Recording debut: New York c:a mid 1954  with the classic Gloria / I Wonder Why - Josie 765.
Records for: Josie 54-60, Smash 1961, Capitol 62-63.

Second line-up 1960 (billed as The Original Cadillacs):
Wade, Martinez, Phillips, and Junior Glanton, bar
1961 for Smash:
Carroll, Ray "Bobby Ray" Brewster, ten; Curtis Williams, bar (both from a late line-up of the Hollywood Flames; and Curtis from the original Penguins - singing the bridge on "Earth Angel"); Irving Lee Gail, bass. etc..etc...
1998 - on:
Earl Carroll, Bobby Phillips, Gary Lewis, John Brown (from 2003 a trio without Brown).
 
Essential CD: The Best of... - Rhino R2 70955
or: Rock - Bear Family BCD 16281 AB (34 tracks, 44-page booklet)
For Collectors: The Complete Josie Sessions (4CD) - Bear Family BCD 15648 DI
or: For Collectors Only (3CD) - Collectables COL-CD-8800
Reading: They All Sang on the Corner by Philip Groia (Edmond Publ, 1973)
Search on The Cadillacs
The Cadillacs at Wikipedia
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Discography and album covers

"Those Hoodlum Friends"
- "The Clown Princes of Rock ´N´ Roll" - the pre-eminent vocal group of the original rock ´n´ roll era, and the first to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Originated from the Robins - an R&B vocal group from Los Angeles, who had conquered California since 1949 - and had worked with the young composing/producing team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller during 1954-55 -  when Leiber-Stoller together with manager Lester Sill in September of 1955 decided to launch a professional group in L.A. for Atlantic´s new subsidiary Atco. The two fore-most lead singers (tenor and bass of the Robins) were completed with two new hand-chosen vocalists on the first Coasters records, but the original Coasters line-up only lasted for a couple of years until they re-formed (still with Californians) and moved to New York. They used the best musicians on recordings (especially King Curtis on sax from 1958) and reached international fame in 1959. The group was Leiber-Stoller´s favorite vehicle for their 2-minute play-lets and the group worked with them 1954 - 1963, 1966-1968 and 1971-1972.

Carl Gardner´s debut with the Robins:
Los Angeles, Febr-March, 1954   If Teardrops Were Kisses
- Spark 110, released in February, 1955.

The Coasters recording debut:
Los Angeles,  January 11, 1956   Down In Mexico / Turtle Dovin´
- Atco 6064, released in February, 1956.
Records for: Spark 54-55 (Robins), Atco 56-66, Date 66-68, King 71-73.

All of the early members have launched their off-shoot Coasters’ recording groups during later years. Billy Guy has issued records as Billy Guy & The Coasters. There was Bobby Nunn´s Coasters, Mark II - nowadays acting as Billy Richards’ Coasters. Grady Chapman (of the Robins) toured with a "Coasters" group. Leon Hughes called a group The World Famous Coasters. Cornell Gunter’s Fabulous Coasters - still acting with off-spring members as the “original” Cornell Gunter’s Coasters. And if that isn't enough former members of those off-shoots have embarked new bogus Coasters groups. There also was Will Jones’ World Famous Coasters (which often featured Billy Guy). Guy later semi-coached promoter Larry Marshak’s fake group, nowadays touring in several versions as Cornell Gunter’s Coasters. The true Coasters, though,  are still coached by Carl Gardner (from 2008 touring as Carl Gardner's Coasters with Carl's son Jr as lead singer).

The Robins lineup on Spark 1954-55:
Carl Gardner, lead - debuting with the Robins in Los Angeles February-March, 1954 (Spark); Bobby Nunn, bass (who sang with Little Esther on the Robins’ "Double Crossing Blues" from December, 1949 and was lead of the Robins); "Ty" Terrell Leonard, tenor; Billy and Roy Richards, baritones; and in early 1954 Grady Chapman, second lead.

Original Coasters lineup 1956-57:
Carl Gardner, lead and spokesman for 50 years - still coaching the group (born in Tyler, Texas April 29, 1928); Leon Hughes, tenor (born August 26, 1932); Billy Guy, baritone and recording with the group up to 1972 (born June 20, 1936; died November 5, 2002); Bobby Nunn, bass (born September 20, 1925; died November 5, 1986); and Adolph Jacobs, guitar up into early 1959 (born April 15, 1939).

Famous classic lineup 1958-1961: Gardner; Guy; Cornell Gunter, tenor up to mid 1961 (former lead with the Flairs; born November 14, 1936 in Coffeyville, Kansas. He died from an unknown gun shot in Las Vegas in his car February 26, 1990); Will "Dub" Jones, bass up to 1968 (former lead with the Cadets, born in Shreveport, Louisiana May 14, 1928; died in Long Beach, California on January 16, 2000).

Later recording members:
Earl "Speedo" Carroll, tenor 1961-1979 (born November 2, 1937; leaving from and to the Cadillacs); Ronnie Bright, bass from 1968 (born October 18, 1938; formerly with the Valentines); Jimmy Norman, baritone, first substituting for Guy, then replacing him from 1973 (born August 12, 1937; formerly with Jesse Belvin and acting as solo artist); Thomas "Curley" Palmer, guitar from 1962 (born August 15, 1929).

Lineup 1980-1997:
Gardner, Bright, Norman, Palmer.
 
Current lineup from 1998:
Gardner, Bright, Palmer; and Alvin Morse, baritone (born February 1951, member up to September 2008 - in October 2008 Alvin Morse was replaced by Primo Candelara.); Carl Gardner Jr, tenor (born April 29, 1955 - absent July 2001 - November 2004); J.W. Lance, tenor from 2001 (born June 16, 1949). In November, 2005 Gardner Jr officially took over from his father as lead singer of the Coasters, with all staying.

Essential CD:  The Very Best of... - Rhino R2 71597.
Reading: “Yakety Yak I Fought Back: My Life With The Coasters” by Carl Gardner with Veta Gardner (AuthorHouse 2007).
“The Coasters” by Bill Millar (Star Books, UK 1975).

THE COASTERS, vcl-group   "HI-FIVE"
1.  (Carl Gardner-lead, Billy Guy, Young Jessie, Bobby Nunn and Adolph Jacobs,gtr)
(featuring Gil Bernal or Plas Johnson,sax) - Hollywood, February 15, 1957:
57C-107     Young Blood - Atco 6087 (#1, 17w)
2.  (as above with Guy-lead, featuring Mike Stoller,pno) - same session:
57C-108     Searchin'  - Atco 6087 (#1, 21w)
3.  (Carl Gardner, Billy Guy, Cornell Gunter, Will "Dub" Jones, Jacobs)
(featuring King Curtis,sax) - New York, March 17, 1958:
58C-365     Yakety Yak - Atco 6116 (#1, 14w)
4.  (as above with Gardner and Guy-joint leads, Sonny Forriest,gtr)
(featuring George Barnes and Mickey Baker,gtrs) - New York, July 16, 1959:
59C-3607    Poison Ivy - Atco 6146 (#1, 16w)
5.  (as above with Guy and Jones-leads; featuring King Curtis,sax) - New York, July 29, 1960
60C-4754    Shoppin'  For Clothes - Atco 6178

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