News & Updates — The Drifters

Ben E. King is one of the great baritone voices of the early soul music generation, with The Drifters and solo. Born in North Carolina, he grew up in Harlem and sang in church and in doo-wop groups. After working as a singing waiter he joined the Five Crowns in 1958, which became The Drifters (after the sacking of the Clyde McPhatter-led version). King sang on thirteen on their heavily-orchestrated gorgeous songs, including "There Goes My Baby" (which he co-wrote), "Save The Last Dance For Me" and "This Magic Moment". He rarely performed with them due to an ongoing contract...

Jerry Felder, a Brooklyn-raised Jewish kid who suffered from polio, became a champion songwriter for the likes of Elvis Presley (who recorded a couple dozen of his tunes), Ray Charles, The Drifters, Phil Spector, Dr John, BB King, Bobby Darin and many, many more. He was originally a sax player, but in the early '40s he took the made-up name of "Doc Pomus" and started singing the blues in clubs. Fairly successful with this, he cut a bunch of records with Milt Jackson, King Curtis, Mickey Baker and others. By '57 he was a full-time songwriter in the Brill Building....