ArtistInfo

The Drifters

Band, *1953
R&B/Soul and Pop
A.k.a. Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters The Original Drifters

Please note that early releases can be found under Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters. Please be careful before incorrectly re-adding them here. The Drifters, like their name, were an ever-changing group: May - June 1953: Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters Clyde McPhatter, David Baughan, William Anderson, David Baldwin, James Johnson August 1953: Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters Clyde McPhatter, Bill Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, Willie Ferbee 1953 - 1954: Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters: Clyde McPhatter, Bill Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, Jimmy Oliver (gtr) Mid 1954: The Drifters: David Baughan, Bill Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, Jimmy Oliver Late 1954 - March 1955: David Baughan, Bill Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, Johnny Moore, Jimmy Oliver Mid 1955 - August 1955: David Baughan, Bill Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, Jimmy Oliver August 1955 - August 1956: Johnny Moore, Bill Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, Jimmy Oliver August 1956 - Late 1957: Johnny Moore, Gerhart Thrasher, Tommy Evans, Charlie Hughes, Jimmy Oliver Late 1957 - May 1958: Bobby Hendricks, Gerhart Thrasher, Jimmy Millinder, Tommy Evans June 1958 - Mid 1959: Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas, Dock Green, Elsbeary Hobbs, James Clark Mid 1959 - May 1960: Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas, Dock Green, Elsbeary Hobbs, Johnny Lee Williams, Reggie Kimber (gtr) Mid 1960: Charlie Thomas, Dock Green, Elsbeary Hobbs, James Poindexter, Reggie Kimber Mid 1960: Rudy Lewis, Charlie Thomas, Dock Green, William Van Dyke, Reggie Kimber Mid 1960 - Late 1960: Rudy Lewis, Charlie Thomas, Dock Green, George Grant, Reggie Kimber Late 1960 - Mid 1962: Rudy Lewis, Charlie Thomas, Dock Green, Tommy Evans, Billy Davis (gtr) Mid 1962 - Late 1962: Rudy Lewis, Charlie Thomas, Tommy Evans, Gene Pearson, Billy Davis Early 1963: Rudy Lewis, Charlie Thomas, Gene Pearson, Johnny Terry, Billy Davis April 1963 - May 1964: Johnny Moore, Rudy Lewis, Charlie Thomas, Gene Pearson, Johnny Terry, Billy Davis May 1964 - Mid 1966: Johnny Moore, Gene Pearson, Johnny Terry, Charlie Thomas, Billy Davis July 1966: Johnny Moore, Gene Pearson, Charlie Thomas, Dan Danbridge, Billy Davis August - September 1966: Johnny Moore, Gene Pearson, Charlie Thomas, William Brent, Billy Davis October 1966 - Early 1967: Johnny Moore, Charlie Thomas, Rick Sheppard, William Brent, Billy Davis Early 1967 - Mid 1967: Johnny Moore, Charlie Thomas, Rick Sheppard, Bill Fredericks, Billy Davis Mid 1967 - Late 1967: Johnny Moore, Rick Sheppard, Bill Fredericks, Charles Baskerville, Billy Davis November 1967: Johnny Moore, Rick Sheppard, Bill Fredericks, Billy Davis December 1967 - Late 1969: Johnny Moore, Rick Sheppard, Bill Fredericks, Milton Turner Late 1969 - Late 1971: Johnny Moore, Rick Sheppard, Bill Fredericks, Don Thomas Early 1972 - Mid 1974: Johnny Moore, Bill Fredericks, Butch Leake, Grant Kitchings, Butch Mann (gtr) Mid 1974 - Early 1975: Johnny Moore, Clyde Brown, Butch Leake, Grant Kitchings, Butch Mann Mid 1975 - Early 1976: Johnny Moore, Clyde Brown, Butch Leake, Billy Lewis, Butch Mann Early 1976 - Mid 1978: Johnny Moore, Clyde Brown, Joe Blunt, Billy Lewis Mid 1978 - 1979: Clyde Brown, Ray Lewis, Joe Blunt, Billy Lewis, Butch Mann 1980 - 1981: Johnny Moore, Clyde Brown, Ray Lewis, Louis Price Late 1981 - 1983: Ben E. King, Bill Fredericks, Ray Lewis, Louis Price 1983 - 1985: Ben E. King, Johnny Moore, Joe Blunt, Clyde Brown Early 1986 - Late 1986: Ray Lewis, Billy Lewis, Louis Price, Jonah Ellis Early 1987: Johnny Moore, Ray Lewis, Billy Lewis, Gene Jenkins March - May 1987: Johnny Moore, Ray Lewis, Billy Lewis, George Chandler May 1987 - July 1988: Johnny Moore, Ray Lewis, Billy Lewis, John Thurston August 1988 - October 1989: Johnny Moore, Billy Lewis, John Thurston, Joe Cofie October - November 1989: Johnny Moore, Joe Cofie, John Thurston, George Chandler November 1989: Johnny Moore, Joe Cofie, John Thurston, Tony Jackson November - December 1989: Johnny Moore, Joe Cofie, John Thurston, Keith John Early 1990 - Mid 1990: Johnny Moore, Joe Cofie, John Thurston, Peter Lamarr Late 1990: Johnny Moore, Roy Hemmings, Joe Cofie, Patrick Alan Early - Mid 1991: Johnny Moore, Roy Hemmings, Joe Cofie, Peter Lamarr Mid 1991 - Early 1995: Johnny Moore, Roy Hemmings, Joe Cofie, Rohan Delano Turney Early 1995 - Late 1996: Johnny Moore, Roy Hemmings, Rohan Delano Turney, Jason Leigh Late 1996 - Dec 1998: Johnny Moore, Roy Hemmings, Rohan Delano Turney, Peter Lamarr Mid 1998 - Late 2001: Roy Hemmings, Rohan Delano Turney, Patrick Alan, Peter Lamarr Early 2002 - Late 2003: Roy Hemmings, Rohan Delano Turney, Patrick Alan, Victor Bynoe 2004 to present (2010): Peter Lamarr, Rohan Delano Turney, Patrick Alan, Victor Bynoe Inducted into Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 (performer). Official sources: ‘Rockin’ & Driftin’ – The Drifters Box (Warner Bros / Rhino Records RZ 72417) - 1996 ‘The Drifters – Save The Last Dance For Me’ by Tony Allan with Faye Treadwell (MAGIM 903) - 1997 ‘The Definitive Drifters’ (Warner Bros WSMCD137) – 2003

Members

	Ben E. King voc 1938-2015 US
	Jimmy Oliver g US
	Milton Turner voc
	Bill Fredericks
	Johnny Terry bvoc US
	Johnny Thunder voc US
	Winifred Terry voc US
	John Moore voc US
	Charles Baskerville 1936-1995 US
	Sir Charles Hughes voc, g US
	Roy Gee Hemmings bvoc GB
	Bill Pinkney voc 1925-2007 US
	Rudy Lewis voc 1936-1964 US
	David Baughan voc 1938-1970 US
	Jimmy Milner voc, dr US
	Grant Kitchings
	Charles Thomas
	Tommy Evans voc, b 1927-1984 US
	Rick Sheppard US
	Dock Green
	Andrew Thrasher voc US
	Bill Davis g