The Drifters › Similar Artists

Ben E. King - 100% match to The Drifters

Benjamin Earl Nelson, 28 September 1938, Henderson, North Carolina, USA. King began his career while still a high-school student singing in a doo-wop group, the Four B’s. He later joined the Five Crowns who, in 1959, assumed the name the Drifters. King was the featured lead vocalist and occasional composer on several of their recordings including ‘There Goes My Bab Read more

Clyde McPhatter - 98% match to The Drifters

Clyde Lensley McPhatter, 15 November 1932, Durham, North Carolina, USA, d. 13 June 1972, New York City, New York, USA. For three years, McPhatter was the lead singer in the seminal R&B vocal group Billy Ward And His Dominoes. He left in 1953 to form the Drifters, whose early releases were enhanced by the singer’s emotional, gospel-drenched delivery. In 1954 McPhatte Read more

The Platters - 79% match to The Drifters

One of the leading R&B vocal groups of the 50s, they were the first black group to be accepted as a major chart act and, for a short time, were the most successful vocal group in the world. The Platters were formed in Los Angeles in 1953 by entrepreneur/songwriter Buck Ram (21 November 1907, Chicago, Illinois, USA, d. 1 January 1991). Through his ownership of the Platter Read more

The Miracles - 72% match to The Drifters

Of all the R&B vocal groups formed in Detroit, Michigan, USA, in the mid-50s, the Miracles proved to be the most successful. They were founded at the city’s Northern High School in 1955 by Smokey Robinson (William Robinson, 19 February 1940, Detroit, Michigan, USA), Emerson Rogers, Bobby Rogers (b. 19 February 1940, Detroit, Michigan, USA), Ronnie White (b. 5 April Read more

The Crests - 70% match to The Drifters

Formed in New York City, USA, in 1956, the Crests soon became one of the most successful of the ‘integrated’ doo-wop groups of the period, after being discovered by Al Browne. Headed by the lead tenor of Johnny Mastro (Johnny Mastrangelo, 7 May 1930, USA), the rest of the band comprised Harold Torres, Talmadge Gough, J.T. Carter and Patricia Van Dross. By 1957 they Read more

The Five Satins - 69% match to The Drifters

This R&B vocal group was formed in New Haven, Connecticut, USA, in 1955. The Five Satins’ first hit, ‘In The Still Of The Nite’ (US R&B number 3 and pop Top 30 in 1956), was one of the definitive songs of the early rock ‘n’ roll era, with its strong chanting of doo-wop riffs in the background and impassioned lead work. The group on this record c Read more

Chuck Willis - 61% match to The Drifters

Neil Sedaka - 61% match to The Drifters

13 March 1939, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. Pianist Sedaka began his songwriting career with lyricist Howard Greenfield in the early 50s. During this high school period, Sedaka dated Carol Klein (later known as Carole King). For a brief period, Sedaka joined the Tokens, then won a scholarship to New York’s Juilliard School of Music. In 1958, the pianist joine Read more

Bobby Vee - 60% match to The Drifters

Robert Thomas Velline, 30 April 1943, Fargo, North Dakota, USA. Vee’s first exposure to the rock ‘n’ roll scene occurred in macabre circumstances when his group, the Shadows, deputized for Buddy Holly after the singer was killed in an air crash in February 1959. Soon after, Vee’s group were discovered by famed producer Snuff Garrett and saw their indepen Read more

Billy Fury - 57% match to The Drifters

Ronald Wycherley, 17 April 1940, Dingle, Liverpool, England, d. 28 January 1983, London, England. An impromptu audition in a Birkenhead dressing room resulted in Wycherley joining Larry Parnes’ management stable. The entrepreneur provided the suitably enigmatic stage name, and added the aspirant to the bill of a current package tour. Fury enjoyed a UK Top 20 hit with hi Read more

The Righteous Brothers - 56% match to The Drifters

Despite their professional appellation, Bill Medley (William Thomas Medley, 19 September 1940, Santa Ana, California, USA) and Bobby Hatfield (b. Robert Lee Hatfield, 10 August 1940, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, USA, d. 5 November 2003, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA) were not related. They met in 1962 at California’s Black Derby club, where they won the approbation of its mixed-r Read more

Dion - 55% match to The Drifters

During his peak, from 1958-63, Dion (Dion Francis DiMucci, 18 July 1939, the Bronx, New York City, New York, USA) was the quintessential Italian-American New York City rocker and was, perhaps, the first major white rock singer who was not from a southern city. The career of one of America’s legendary artists has spanned six decades, during which time he has made numerou Read more

Showaddywaddy - 52% match to The Drifters

When two promising Leicestershire groups, the Choice and the Golden Hammers, fused their talents in 1973, the result was an octet comprising Dave Bartram (23 March 1952; vocals), Buddy Gask (vocals), Russ Field (guitar), Trevor Oakes (guitar), Al James (b. Geoffrey Betts; bass), Rod Deas (b. 13 February 1948, Scarborough, Yorkshire, England; bass), Malcolm Allured (b. 27 Aug Read more

The Clovers - 52% match to The Drifters

This US R&B vocal ensemble formed in Washington, DC, in 1946, and built a career recording smooth ballads and bluesy jumps for New York independent Atlantic Records, in the process becoming one of the most popular vocal groups of the 50s. By the time the group first recorded for Rainbow Records in early 1950, the Clovers comprised John ‘Buddy’ Bailey (1930, Was Read more

The Marvelettes - 52% match to The Drifters

The Marvelettes’ career epitomized the haphazard progress endured by many of the leading girl-groups of the early 60s. Despite enjoying several major US hits, they were unable to sustain a consistent line-up, and their constant shifts in personnel made it difficult to overcome their rather anonymous public image. The group was formed in the late 50s by five students at Ink Read more