The Drifters

Rolling Stone once called the Drifters the least stable of the great vocal groups, yet the name has carried pop and R&B soul records through several decades. Formed in 1953 as a backing unit for Clyde McPhatter, a high-pitched tenor who had been the Dominoes' lead voice, the group took its sound from a blend of gospel and secular styles that McPhatter wanted. Several later formations, including one led by Ben E. King, trace their roots to those earliest singers, though few of the founders remained in the lineup.

Their breakthrough came with 'Money Honey', released in September 1953 under the name 'Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters', and it was followed by a run of releases including 'Honey Love' in 1954. McPhatter left after about a year for a solo career. In 1964, 'Under the Boardwalk' reached number one on the US R&B chart, and 'Save the Last Dance for Me' had already done so in 1960. A 1970s British revival then produced 'Kissin' in the Back Row of the Movies', a number-two hit and the group's biggest success on the UK singles chart.