The Drifters
USA, 1953–1970
American vocal group with many line-ups, running from Clyde McPhatter's gospel-derived leads in the 1950s to the string and Latin-rhythm arrangements of 'Save the Last Dance for Me' and 'Under the Boardwalk'.
MusicRoots documents 3 artists who influenced The Drifters and 3 artists The Drifters influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.
Who influenced The Drifters?
- Clyde McPhatter — Clyde McPhatter founded the Drifters and sang their gospel-drenched early leads — the group was built around his soaring church-trained tenor.
- The Ink Spots — The smooth vocal-group balladry of the Ink Spots was among the harmony traditions the Drifters drew on in shaping their R&B sound.
- The Mills Brothers — The Mills Brothers' close-harmony blend was part of the vocal-group heritage feeding the Drifters.
Which artists did The Drifters influence?
- Petula Clark — Tony Hatch conceived 'Downtown' during a 1964 New York trip with the uptown-soul sound of The Drifters in mind, originally intending to offer the song to them before Clark recorded it.
- The Four Seasons — Frankie Valli named the Drifters among his key influences — their R&B-into-pop vocal-group craft under the Four Seasons' harmonies.
- Little Anthony & the Imperials — The lush, string-sweetened R&B of the Drifters was a direct model for the Imperials' doo-wop-into-soul sound.