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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

The Drifters (Misinformation)

Much is spoken on the Drifters in various circles relating
to who is or was a Drifter, the music etc. Depending on 
who's telling the story or reporting all the mis-
information, you hear such comments as The current lineup of 
Drifters under the Treadwell PMG management are phonies and 
imposter's. The former Bell / Arista group were know more 
than a Disco outfit. Many of these comments come from so 
called critics in the industry, period fans, former Drifter 
members and I mean former cause if you are not currently 
working under the trademark license you are former. I've 
even read where someone posted on youtube that Charlie 
Thomas has warrants out for the Treadwell impostor group as 
if he is the only legitimate Drifter that has come along 
over the years that has the right to be called a Drifter. 
Give us a break with such nonsense! the Drifters is a brand 
and has been that way since it's offset. With 60 or more 
members Drifting in and out, it truly lives up to it's name 
Drifters. Yes some more significant than others. The brand 
can truly only be categorized through it's golden age 
periods and there are three. The Clyde McPhatter era, The 
Ben E. King era and The Bell / Arista era headed by Johnny 
Moore and The fact is Johnny Moore sang with the group in 
all those eras and on more songs and hits than anyone. After 
the Atlantic era the group was dead so to speak and was 
resurrected in the 70's with the producer and song writer 
Roger Greenway. It was the Greenway team along with the 
signing to Bell Records headed by It's president Dick Leahy 
which helped bring the group back in to vogue during the 
70's with a string of hits throughout that period. So it was 
the Johnny Moore group of the 70's along with Bill 
Fredricks, Grant Kitchings and yours truly Butch Leake that 
brought the brand from the grave in the early 70's era.
That is a fact which you can try and deny but the data is 
there to prove it. Though the Atlantic period of songs were 
great and I will be the first to acknowledge they were some 
of my favorites. The Bell Record era had it's songs which 
were conducive for it's time.

Above some negative YouTube post...