Bill Pinkney, a founding member of the Drifters, was born 89 years ago today. Pinkney achieved international fame with numerous hit records. He was chiefly responsible for The Drifter’s early sounds, having a strong influence on soul, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. Born in Dalzell, South Carolina, Pinkney grew up singing his favorite music, gospel, in his church choir. Before his career with the Drifters, Pinkney was a pitcher for the Negro Baseball Leagues New York Blue Sox sandlot team. He also served in the Army in World War II. He earned a Presidential Citation with five Bronze Stars (for battles including Normandy and Bastogne under General Patton). Returning from the war, Pinkney began to sing again in various gospel choirs. It was there that he would meet and join with the men who became the original members of the Drifters. Bill Pinkney, brothers Andrew and Gerhart Thrasher, and bass singer Willie Ferbie were approached by Clyde McPhatter, who had just quit as the lead tenor of the popular R&B group, Billy Ward & the Dominoes. McPhatter proposed they create a new group to record for Atlantic Records. On their first record, Money Honey, Pinkney, a natural bass-baritone with a multi-octave range, actually sang first tenor. After Ferbie left, Pinkney switched to the bass part, in which he was heard on Honey Love, White Christmas, Adorable, Ruby Baby and many other early Drifters recordings. In 1954, the Drifters recorded their version of White Christmas by Irving Berlin. That version was featured in the 1990 movie Home Alone. Pinkney can also be heard singing lead on the 1956 recording I Should Have Done Right and 1955s Steamboat. Pinkney was in and out of the group from 1956 through 1958. He did not participate in the recording of later hits like Fools Fall in Love and Drip Drop, which featured bass Tommy Evans. After Pinkneys permanent departure, The Drifters recorded hit classics such as Under the Boardwalk, Save the Last Dance for Me, There Goes My Baby, Up on the Roof and On Broadway, with a completely new line-up. In 1958, the manager fired all of the individual Drifters and hired all new singers, The Crowns (formally known as the Five Crowns), signing them under the Drifters name. Pinkney was forced to leave. Pinkney quickly created a group called the Original Drifters, made up of key members of the first (1953–58) association. Pinkneys Original Drifters was consistently popular throughout the southeastern United States. For decades their music was a staple of the beach music scene. Leaders such as President Bill Clinton and President Nelson Mandela of South Africa recognized Pinkneys contributions. Pinkney received many musical awards, including the Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award, and was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, United Group Harmony Association and the Beach Music Hall of Fame. Pinkney died the evening of July 4, 2007 in Florida from a heart attack, while staying at the Daytona Beach Hilton. He was to perform with The Drifters at the annual Daytona Beach 4th of July celebration, Red, White & Boom. Here, Pinkney was interviewed by the Rock Hall of Fame on Buddy Holly and segregation.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 04:09:29 +0000
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