DRIFTERS THE LEGACY CONTINUES

Butch Leake & the Drifters
The Drifters "Glasgow Scotland" 2009

The Drifters as you know are in their 6th decade with an incredible record
of 200 thousand singles and 100 thousand albums sold to date....

The history of this legendary group and organization has been a product
of much mis-understanding filled with facts and laced with myth.

To the mom and pops of the early 50s the Drifters came and went with
the group headed by the late crooner Clyde McPhatter along with Bill
Pickney and the Thrasher brothers....

Yet with the success of those years this was not the lineup which was
responsible for many of the memorable hit songs that we are accustomed
to associating with the Drifters.

In looking at the act on the surface you might say there were five significant
groups from 1953 through the mid 1970 which were responsible for
most of the known hit songs on both sides of the Atlantic...

In all of that there were more than 60 singers that have come through
the lineups ranks.

The single most mainstay individual being Johnny Moore who passed away
in 1998.

The other mainstay the Treadwell family who have held the rights to Drifter
trademark since the early 50s.

Much of the formula which was the mainstay of the group was situated in
the lead singers in the early years Mcphatter, Moore, Lewis, and King. and to
complimented and lock in the sound Pickney, the Thrasher Brothers, Terry, Thomas,
Piersen, Green, Hobbs, Fredricks, Sheppard, Leake, Kitchings, Brown and Blunt..

For the most part the magic which you might say that made the act what it was to
become was in the impromptu style that could only be understood by those who were
close to it's inner workings.

Non like other acts who had a manufactured polished approach to there performances.

The Drifters for the most part was very improvised and free in it's style..

Known much for it's simple choreography but flair in individual dancers like Butch Leake
and Rick Sheppard who top the act in dance moves during the latter 60s and early 70s.

It was in this improvised approached that the group became so notorious in it's smooth
and high energy on stage.

Today we are in a new era with the Drifters for a new and younger generation and also
for the older generation 35 and up we have the Drifters Legends.

Both groups under the direction of PMG (Prism Music Group UK) continue in the
tradition of the 56 year year history of the organization owned by the Treadwell
family.....

For more information on both The Drifters and The Drifters Legends log into
http://www.prismmusicgroup.com or http://theofficialdrifters.com

(CORNER TALK REPORT)

SONY MUSIC AWARDS

Recently at London's Indigo o2 Arena Lifetime Achievement Awards presented by Neil Martin of Sony Music to The Drifters Legends, to recognise the contribution that the Drifters made to the Bell Arista Label. Receiving the awards were Butch Leake an Joe Blunt Original members of the 70s lineup of the Drifters.

On hand were writer Roger Greenway who wrote an co wrote some of the most popular
hits of the period such as Kissin In The Backrow of the Movies, Down on the Beach tonight,
There Goes My First Love and Your more Than a Number In My Little Red Book.

Neil pointed out that..... The Drifters are now well into their sixth decade delighting audiences around the world. They have enjoyed remarkable success in their career, selling well over 200 million singles and well over 100 million albums."

The Show was produced by the Prism Music Group an Promoted by London's Kennedy Street
and Martial Arts.......

The show featured the current Drifters lineup With Maurice Cannon, Steve King, Michael
Williams and Damion Charles and featured Butch Leake, Joe Blunt and Wolf Johnson of
The Drifter Legends.....

For more information on this prestigious night go to theofficialdrifters.com or click on
the title link above......

(CORNER TALK REPORT)

THE DRIFTERS FEATURING THE DRIFTERS LEGENDS

THE DRIFTERS FEATURING DRIFTERS LEGENDS

It's official the show of the year.... The Drifters featuring Drifters
Legends are to performs at London UK Indigo 02 Arena Sunday
June 28th 09.

The show will feature Legendary members from the Golden Periods
of the Drifter Legacy...Bobby Hendricks/Atlantic Era, Butch Leake, Joe Blunt/
Bell-Arista Era and Wolf Johnson..

London ticket sale start this Friday....

For more info go to www.theofficialdrifters.com or click on the head
title above.....

(CORNER TALK REPORT)

BUTCH LEAKE ON THE ROAD

Well 2008 was a world wind year traveling to Europe and around the Americas.
It was great to be back on stage in the UK before the fans I know so well and
reliving some of the nostalgia from the days with the Drifters....

It was a special honor working with the new lineup of drifters for this day an time.

Looking forward to 2009, as we are working on some new an surprise projects
surrounding the Legendary Group an name.

The British fans are a special breed of people who are some of the most supportive
people on the planet and I hold them close to my heart....

This year we have reached out to former legends of the group to work on some
new development Ideas to move into the future which will feature the Drifters
Legends with the Drifters on a show at the Indigo 02 Arena in London Sunday the 28th
2009.

To compliment this show Atlantic will release a compilation album featuring
songs from 50s, 60s, 70s and some new song for 2009.

Also on the cards is a possible world tour with both groups.

PMG entertainment UK has been instrumental in re-branding the name and bringing it back to it's former glory...

I for one am happy to be back on board with an entity that I have put much of my life into.....

For many of the fans out there as you know there has been much controversy
around the group an who's really who..
Know this that if you see a group and it has not been commissioned by Treadwell
it is not a legitimate act....

This is not to say that former legends of the Drifters are not legit, it's just that
if they are working as The Drifters and are not covered by license they are
infringing someones owned property.

Also beware of those who claim to had been legitimate Drifter lineup members..

Over on youtube you will see many Drifter videos with lineups claiming
to be the legitimate article. Do your research... The official site for the Drifters
is at www.theofficialdrifters.com

Currently PMG entertainment control the worldwide licensing of the Drifters
name and Treadwell are the rightful owners of the Drifters service mark....

(CORNER TALK REPORT)

THE FIVE DECDADES & MOORE

The Five Decades & Moore Drifters Tour which began in the early part of the year is doing well with sell out audiences.

The tour honors much of the work of the late Johnny Moore lead
singer of The Drifters who passed away in 1998.

The current lineup of Drifters are Steve V. King, Maurice Canon, Michael Williams and Damion Charles....

The Drifters are currently under licensed through PMG entertainment UK

For more info on the tour go to theofficialdrifters.com

(CORNER TALK REPORT)

THE GOLDEN YEARS (The Drifters1953/1975

For Drifter fans worldwide it must be frustrating with all the confusing arguments on
ownership of names an who has a right to be called a drifter. The remaining fact is
the groups legacy is one of historical value for future generations to come.....
I for one grew up as a fan an lover of Drifter music an was very fortunate to have been
able perform with the legendary organization. As an insider I can say my love for all
the players in this saga of American music history is profoundly sincere. The principal
players that particularly of the artist that truly made the legend what it is today are
the benefactors as that of the public who loved an supported the music over the
Golden periods of the groups history. For some Clyde Mcphatter, Johnny Moore,
Ben E King, Rudy Lewis, Bill Pickney and Charlie Thomas symbolized what the
group was all about, yet all came in different eras of the history of it's music. As of
myself along with Johnny Moore, Bill Fredricks and Grant Kitchings who symbolized
the third Golden period under the guidance of the Treadwell Family who have been
significant custodians of this tradition in the many years of it's existence. Now not
being particularly fond of the inside issues that surrounded the running of this
organization and we all had our issues an ego problems unto today. Its non the less
important for the fans to understand know matter what part of the Golden years you
embrace an there are three that are significant at this day in time, each period supported
an perpetuated the on going life and the history for decades to come.

Currently at this moment the Drifters name is being re-branded for future generations
as the name has somewhat been tarnished by the spawning of hybrid groups here an
abroad. Leading this effort is PMG (Prism Music Group) out of London.

For more information on this effort go to www.theofficialdrifters.com

(CORNER TALK REPORT)

EXPLOITATION/TRUTH IN MUSIC

Someone asked me the other day aren't you to young to have been with
The Drifters and why are there so many drifter groups around?

Obvious they all could not have really been The Drifters or that of the original
group from the 50s.
Now of cost the answer to that is yes, but you must ask what period are you talking
about and which songs are you referring to. As there are many......
Songs like Steamboat and Money Honey, you have to leave to the early 50s era.
Yet some of the greatest songs of the group were in the latter 50s through 60s
into the 70s.

By the 70s the lineup had changed a few times, an over the years as many as fifty or
more members had entered to it's roster some more prominent that others.
There were those who were there for only one or two shows and then let go.

Many never made it to photo sessions, books and media in general.....

The 50s you didn't see black faces on album covers as that was taboo during the
racially charged period.

The question here why so many groups? The Drifters resemble the 70s group Menudo
in many respects with the ever changing lineup. The only difference Menudo
were young kids an only represented a certain age status with there fans which
were teen boppers. But the concept a method of exploitation....

The Drifters on the other hand much older yet the same concept exploitation...

Management not only represented the group but looked at itself as the group
with no distinction. Members were know more than payed employees with know
say so in there current future and were bound by there agreements with the
organization to be nothing after leaving.....

Yes there were exceptions like Ben E, King who went on to create a career of his own.

Out of all of this started the spiral of many groups with former members struggling
to survive in the music industry......as with so many other acts of the period.

It also created another industry of wannabe groups who's members had never had
any connection with the group and it's history at all....

The truth in music bill which has been circulating in the USA is a product of these
phony acts which are being produced.

But the real truth is the industry an it's federations really need to look at the root
causes of these problems an seek to lobby for legislation to protect artist from
such exploitation which everyone seems to turn a blind eye to. (CORNER TALK REPORT)

ENTERTAINMENT CO. BLINKS

The word has been unofficially circulating that the Drifters UK limited
has blinked in its on going battle with Treadwells Original Drifters LLC
over a Trademark dispute between the two parties.

Treadwell had filed a suit In the British High Court against The Drifters UK limited for Trademark infringement seeking to stop the use of the
name The Drifters, a group performing as The drifters and a website
used for it's promotion. The hearing were to take place sometime in march of 2008. Treadwell has argued the legal ownership of The Drifters
Trademark since the early 50s. (CORNER TALK REPORT)