The Drifters & The Drifters Legends on the Road/The charting Years

After many years now the Drifters are back in the UK
charts and have been holding there for fourteen weeks.

Sony music who now holds the Bell/Arista recording
that were popular back in the 70s and 80s has released
a new CD Album titled "up On The Roof" The very best
of the Drifters which includes early 60s tracks along
with the popular Bell/Arista cuts to include two new
tracks featuring the current Drifters lineup.

The Drifters for the most part have been a hit makeing
machine for better than a half century now and seem
to be getting stronger even in this current time
of new age music, Hip Hop and R&B/Pop styles.

The new lineup comes with a much lighter sound which
is more in line with todays younger generation with
a little luck should catapulte the act into the future.

Below we compare the hit making years.

Top ten hits of The Drifters on Billboard's Rhythm &
Blues Charts during the Clyde McPhatter era include:

Atlantic Discography

Money Honey.................... 1953 #1

Lucille............................... 1954 #7

Such a Night...................... 1954 #5

Honey Love........................ 1954 #1

White Christmas................ 1955 #3

What'cha Gonna Do........... 1955 #8


Billboard's pop music chart shows the following Drifters
singles ranked in the top thirty hits from 59/64

There Goes My Baby........ 1959 #2

Dance With Me................ 1959 #15

This Magic Moment......... 1959 #16

Save The Last Dance........ 1960 #1
For Me

I Count The Tears............. 1960 #17

Please Stay........................ 1961 #14

Sweets for My.................... 1961 #16
Sweets

When My Little Girl.......... 1961 #28
Is Smiling

Up on the Roof.................. 1962 #5

On Broadway..................... 1963 #9

I'll Take You Home............. 1963 #25

Under The Boardwalk........ 1964 #4

Saturday Night At.............. 1964 #18
The Movies

UK Pop music chart show the following Drifters
singles ranked in the top thirty hits 74/75/76

Bell/Arista Discography

I'm Feeling Oh So................ 1974 #2
Sad

Like Sister and..................... 1973 #2
Brother

Kissin In The Back............... 1974 #2
Row

Love Games.......................... 1975 #33

Down On The Beach............ 1974 #7

Say Goodby To..................... 1974 #7
Angelina

The Cut Is Deep................... 1975 #33

The Songs We Use............... 1975 #7

Your more than a number.....1976 #5

in My Little Red Book

There Goes My First Love.......1975 #3

For more information you can log into http://theofficialdrifters.com

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and for further info log into C.T.R. Network info over on facebook

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The Drifters & The Drifters Legends on the Road/Life Under The Brand

It should be clear by this day in time to those who have
followed the Drifters over the years that we are working
with a brand name which in many ways is like any other
name that has become synonymous with what the product is about.


Re-branding is the creation of a new name, term, symbol,
design, or a combination of them for an established brand with the intention of developing a differentiated (new) position in the mind of stakeholders and competitors.

However, the main reason for a re-brand is to communicate
a new message for a company, something that has evolved,
or the new board of directors wish to communicate.

Prism Music Group who now holds the worldwide licensing
and management of the group has worked tirelessly in
re-branding the name after much abuse and misuse by former
members, fake groups and even the original management over
the years.

Yet most fail to realize that the Drifters for the most
part started with much of that concept in mind from the
very start.

Back in the early year of 1954 when the name was acquired by
then the Legendary George Treadwell who at that time managed
such great stars as Sammy Davis Jr., Billie Holiday and
Sarah Vaughn the group was managed then through a New York
corporation Drifters Inc.that he formed that same year.

Though Mr. Treadwell owned all the stock in the company,
he managed the company with his two partners, Irving
Nahan and Louis Lebish. Mr Lebish acted as accountant
and bookkeeper for The Drifters Incorporated.

The Entertainment side of the business was handled
by Treadwell and was assisted by his wife Fayrene
and Irving Nahan.

Working together they exercise complete artistic
control over the group. They hired and fired singers who
performed under the name, paid them salaries, selected all
the music and arrangement and over all made the musical
and business decisions relating to live performances and
recording contracts.

In 1959, The Drifters inc. amended it's Certificate of
incorporation whereas George Treadwell, Lewish Lebish and
Irving Nahan became equal owners of the corporation.

Fay Treadwell inherited her husband's stock in the company
in 1967. She later brought out Nahan and Lebish shares and
around 1970, she became the sole shareholder of the
Drifters incorporated.

Though much of this concept still exist on and into this
day and time, it had fostered many problems with it's
members over mismanagement, payment issues and the right
to be called a Drifter.

Members found themselves forced to form hybrid groups
under the trade name even though they signed agreements
barring them from doing so.

This in turn created more fake groups over the years and
pirate promoters who jumped in to capitalize on the goodwill
of the name.

For more information you can log into http://www.theofficialdrifters.com

(CORNER TALK REPORT)

The Drifters & The Drifters Legends on the Road/The Generation Gap....

As you know the Drifters is an on going success story and they are
now performing to thousands of new generation fans across the UK.
Non like yesteryear of cost they are attracting a much younger
fan base and this is by design to secure the future of the group
for years to come.

Not all is happy with this particularly from the earlier generations
who remember the group as it was from the 80s on backward through
the earlier years.

The United Kingdom for the most part has been the home for the group since
the early 70s. It has always maintained a solid fan base which has supported
the act over the years and continues to do so today.

One might argue is the quality the same and there seems to be a lot of mixed
opinion about that.Surely the Drifters of old had those solid strong voices
with that signature base voice and lead sound which became the hallmark of
the groups success over the many hit songs that we loved.

The young generation of today have been brought up on a much lighter sound
of music than the days when the Atlantic, Motown,Philly and Bell Records
ruled the air waves.

The Drifters of yesterday some how managed to cross most music categories
from Gospel, R&B on into Popular, yet always maintained that signature
sound that it was noted for.

In my belief the mixed opinion or might one say the generation gap will
always exist.

Back in the US former members of the group The Original Recording Artist
The Drifters Legends are set to return to the stage in 2012. This should
be an interesting contrast between old and new and may turn out to be a
good thing as far as history goes.

Foundation must be present to build into the future. Without it you can
find yourself with a crumbling house without leg to stande on. Jazz,
Country, Blues, Rock n Roll, R&B no matter what musical innovation
you come up with (is what it is) "The Root"

After a half of century or more The Drifters is a brand name now with more
than 60 or more singers coming through it's lineup. Some who were very
significant and those who are just a short foot note in it's history.
All in all the Drifters have a very lush history that will go down in
the annuals of history for all time.

Currently The Drifters Legends are Rick Sheppard, Butch Leake, Joe Blunt,
and Clyde Brown all of which are the original Recording Artist who along
with the Legendary Johnny Moore sang on some of the Drifters greatest hits
from the Atlantic years through Bell/Arista period.

The Drifters now are Michael Williams, Damion Charles, Ryan King and
Carlton Powell.

In the United States two more former Drifter members still perform with
there Drifters shows Charlie Thomas an Bobby Hendricks.
To include a number of fake groups who trade on the name illegally.

The Drifters and The Drifters Legends are currently managed by PMG
(Prism Music Group) Who whole the worldwide license for acts and
the Drifters name is still owned by the Treadwell family.

For more information on the Drifters and the Drifters Legends you can
log into http://theofficialdrifters.com Over on facebook there are the
Drifters and Drifters Legends pages and my notes a definitive history
on the Drifters Legends on the Butch Leake facebook page.

(CORNER TALK REPORT)

The Drifters & The Drifters Legends on the Road

Well how are you guys out there sorry for being away for
so long. Been busy restructuring my online activities...

This writing begins my series of articles titled
The Drifters & The Drifters Legends on the Road.

In any respect many of you out there have been asking
me what is the on going situation with the Drifters Legends
as far as debut and up and coming tour dates.

Well it looks as if 2012 will be the launch period for Legends
tours. That will be kick off with a tour with the current lineup
of Drifters..... Which will repeat the success of the London
02 Arena show back in 2009.

There had been speculation that The Original Recording Artist
The Drifters Legends were coming to Las Vegas this year but
as of date that has been put on hold until political issues are
resolved, well that's the way things go in show business sometime.

A bit of good news as of this blog the CD Album "up On The Roof"
The Very Best of The Drifters has gone gold and has remained 14
weeks on the chart...

Recently myself and the rest of the Legends group have been
discussing strategies for the future to include New Photo sessions
and public relation options. So you should see more activity from
us soon...

As far as the official Drifter group in Europe they continue to perform
to sellout audiences throughout the UK and have worked hard at promoting
the current CD Album. For more on the great work they are doing log
into facebook and visit there page. You also can log into the official drifters
website at http://www.theofficialdrifters.com

Here in the US the pirate groups continue to do there thing so what you
see is not what you get at the best. We will continue to expose those who
claim to be and are not.

Above a mini documentary outlining where things are to date and some
of the plans for 2012 presented by Treadwell & PMG (Prism Music Group)
Produced by Bomark Studios UK.

Don't forget you can log into C.T.R. Network information for other news
and updates over on facebook and other activities in my online Network
at http://facebook.com/BUTCHLEAKE

(CORNER TALK REPORT)