The Drifters: & Ben E. KingPaperback, 9 May 2020

The Drifters are a doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group from New York City, U.S. They were originally formed during 1953 as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes. Rolling Stone magazine stated that 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. There have been 60 vocalists in the history of the Treadwell Drifters line, including several splinter groups by former Drifters members not under George's management. These groups were usually identified with a possessive credit, including 'Bill Pinkney's Original Drifters' & 'Charlie Thomas' Drifters'.