Clyde McPhatter & Bonus The Great R&B Files (# 12 of 12) Updated February 2, 2019 An R&B Pioneers Series Special Feature: Clyde McPhatter - the Original Soul Star Presented by Claus Röhnisch The R&B Pioneers Series Volume Twelve of twelve The R&B Pioneers Series: find them all at The Great R&B-files Created by Claus Röhnisch http://www.rhythm-and-blues.info BONUS FEATURES: - Ink Spots (grandfathers of ”Doo Wop”) - Combat Jet Aircraft and Top Interests North American X-15 - El Coyote (pulp character) FF: June 8, 1959 (USA) - JLA (Justice League of America) comics I: Sept 1959 Max speed: Mach 6:72 B: 3 (of which 1 was lost) - From Joel Whitburn’s Top 10 R&B Hits S: retired in December 1968 page 1 (52) http://www.rhythm-and-blues.info Clyde McPhatter & Bonus 2 http://www.rhythm-and-blues.info Clyde McPhatter & Bonus Clyde McPhatter – the Original Soul Star *near Durham, North Carolina 1932 (raised in Teaneck, New Jersey) ±New York City, 1972 Introduction The R&B Pioneers Series Volume Twelve (of twelve) Although Clyde McPhatter is not featured as a solo act in “The R&B Pioneer Series Top 30 Favorites” special edition, he sure is to be recognized as one of the most important pioneers of all, and he was absolutely the first “Soul Star”, paving the way for Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Little Willie John, Nolan Strong, Dee Clark, Sammy Turner, Marv Johnson, Smokey Robinson, the second generation Drifters, and James Brown et al (with probably only Roy Brown as the forerunner). This presentation pays tribute to this great entertainer, who surely deserves his very own special essay in the series. He was the most successful lead of the pioneering Dominoes and later formed the outstanding Drifters (with Clyde waxing the definitely most classic of all of The Drifters hits). Although without his own credit he led seven of The Dominoes R&B Top 10 hits; he was lead (with his own name credited on the record labels) in seven of The Drifters original R&B Top 10 hits. As a solo artist he had a further ten R&B Top 10 hits. Two of his classic recordings hit the Pop Top 10. Enjoy this nostalgic presentation of “The Original Soul Star”. This edition also has an essay over the Ink Spots – “The Grandfathers of Doo-Wop”. Their famous lead singer Bill Kenny was Clyde McPhatter’s true idol and foremost inspiration. Plus five special bonuses: “El Coyote”, “Combat Jet Aircraft”, “Top Interests”, “JLA”, and “From Joel Whitburn’s R&B Top 10 Hits” Claus Röhnisch - updated June 10, 2018 http://www.rhythm-and-blues.info 3 Clyde McPhatter & Bonus Clyde McPhatter Essay from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: (slightly edited) Clyde McPhatter (November 15, 1932 – June 13, 1972) Hall of Fame, first as a member of the Drifters, and later was an American R&B and rock n' roll singer. He was as a solo artist, and as a result, all subsequent double and immensely influential, perhaps the most widely imitated triple inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are R&B singer of the 1950s and 1960s, making him a key said to be members of "The Clyde McPhatter Club." figure in the shaping of doo-wop and R&B. His high- pitched tenor voice was steeped in the gospel music he Blanch Roosevelt (later Clyde Lensay) McPhatter was born sang in much of his younger life. He is best known for his in the tobacco town community of Dutchville Township, solo hit "A Lover's Question". McPhatter was lead tenor for Granville County (near Durham), North Carolina, on The Mount Lebanon Singers, a gospel group he formed as November 15, 1932, and raised in a religious Baptist a teenager, and later, lead tenor for the Dominoes. family; the son of Rev. George McPhatter and wife Beulah McPhatter was largely responsible for the success the (though some accounts refer to her as Eva). Starting at Dominoes initially enjoyed. After his tenure with the the age of five, he sang in his father's church gospel choir Dominoes, McPhatter formed his own group, the Drifters, along with his three brothers and three sisters. When he before going solo. Only 39 at the time of his death, he had was ten, Clyde was the soprano-voiced soloist for the struggled for years with alcoholism and depression and choir. In 1945, Rev. McPhatter moved his family to was, according to Jay Warner’s On This Day in Music Teaneck, New Jersey, where Clyde attended Chelsior High History, "broke and despondent over a mismanaged career School. He worked part-time as a grocery store clerk, and that made him a legend but hardly a success." At the time eventually was promoted to shift manager upon of his passing, Clyde McPhatter left a legacy of over 22 graduating high school. The family then relocated to New years of recording history. He was the first artist in music York City, where he formed a non-recording gospel group, history to become a double inductee into the Rock and Roll The Mount Lebanon Singers ( probably around 1948 ). Bobby Hendricks, an interim Drifter, Nolan Strong of the In 1950, after winning the envied "Amateur Night" at Diablos, Bobby Day and Dee Clark. Patsy Cline shows Harlem's Apollo Theater, McPhatter returned to his job as McPhatter's influence (listen to his version of "Someday store manager but later was recruited by Billy Ward for his You'll Want Me to Want You", recorded in 1954 with the new secular group the Dominoes, and was present for the Drifters. Compare it to Cline's version, which seems to recording of "Sixty Minute Man" for Federal Records, a follow that example). In the course of his career Elvis song regarded as the "first record of rock 'n roll," produced by Ralph Bass. Presley recorded several of McPhatter's songs. Presley's version of "White Christmas" has strong similarities to McPhatter's. After recording several songs, including "Do The Dominoes were one of the top R&B vocal groups in the Something for Me", "Have Mercy Baby", "I’d Be Satisfied", country, garnering more popularity than the Clovers, the (which was the first Dominoes record issued as Billy Ward Ravens and the Five Keys, largely due to Clyde's fervent, And His Dominoes), and "The Bells", McPhatter left the high-pitched tenor. He is regarded as the main singer to Dominoes on May 7, 1953. He was sometimes passed off infuse a gospel-steeped singing style into mainstream as "Clyde Ward, Billy's little brother." Others assumed it R&B, though blues singer Roy Brown was actually the first was Billy Ward doing the lead singing. Because of such to do so. Even though Roy Brown started the trend, occurrences, and because he was frequently at odds with McPhatter was more widely imitated, and was a much Ward, McPhatter decided he would quit the Dominoes, bigger influence in the shaping of Doo-Wop/R&B. In his intent on making a name for himself. McPhatter book The Drifters, Bill Millar names Ben E. King, Smokey announced his intent to quit the group which Billy Ward Robinson of the Miracles, Sammy Turner, and Marv agreed to if Clyde would stay on long enough to coach a Johnson among the vocalists who patterned themselves replacement. Later, auditions for a replacement were held after McPhatter. "Most important," he concludes, at Detroit's Fox Theater and a young Jackie Wilson would "McPhatter took hold of the Ink Spots' simple major chord later take over as lead tenor for the Dominoes, influencing harmonies, drenched them in call-and-response patterns Wilson's singing style and stage presence. "I fell in love and sang as if he were back in church. In doing so, he with the man's voice. I toured with the group and watched created a revolutionary musical style from which--- Clyde and listened..."—and apparently learned. Privately, thankfully---popular music will never recover." But McPhatter and Ward often argued, but publicly Clyde McPhatter didn't think much of his own singing abilities. expressed his appreciation to Ward for giving him his start The countless imitators tell a different story, including in show business. 4 http://www.rhythm-and-blues.info Clyde McPhatter & Bonus Ahmet Ertegün and Jery Wexler, the heads of Atlantic Clyde’s classic Drifters: Bill Pinkney, Records, eagerly sought McPhatter after noticing he was Gerhart Thrasher, Clyde (top), Willie Ferbie, and Andrew Thrasher. not present for an appearance the Dominoes once made at Birdland, which was "an odd booking for the Dominoes", in Ertegün's words. After locating him, McPhatter was then signed to Atlantic on the condition that he form his own group. McPhatter promptly assembled a group and called After leaving Atlantic Records, McPhatter signed on with them the Drifters. They recorded a few tracks in June MGM Records, and released several more songs, including 1953, including a song called "Lucille," written by "I Told Myself a Lie" and "Think Me a Kiss" (1960) and his McPhatter himself. This group of Drifters did not have the first single for Mercury Records "Ta Ta." His tenure on sound Atlantic executives were looking for however, and these labels proved to be less fruitful than his time with Clyde was prompted to assemble another group of singers. Atlantic. He recorded more singles, moving to other record The revised lineup recorded and released such hits as labels, including "I Never Knew" and his final Top Ten hit "Money Honey," "Such a Night," "Honey Love," "White "Lover Please," which made it to No. 7 in 1962. It was Christmas" and "What’cha Gonna Do," with the record after "Lover Please" that McPhatter saw a downward turn label proudly displaying the group name "Clyde McPhatter in his career, as musical styles and tastes were constantly & the Drifters." (The story of the Drifters is full of changing during the 1960s. These directional changes personnel changes. The first group of Drifters Clyde were the main reason McPhatter turned to alcohol abuse, assembled were mostly members of the Mount Lebanon as more sporadic recordings failed to chart. In 1968, Singers.) In late 1954, McPhatter was inducted into the McPhatter moved to England, where he was still highly Army and assigned to Special Services in the continental revered, utilizing UK band "ICE" as backup. McPhatter United States, which allowed him to continue recording. returned to America in 1970, making a few appearances in After his tour of duty was up, he left the Drifters and rock 'n roll revival tours, but remaining mostly a recluse. launched a solo career. (Editor’s note: The first record with Hopes for a major comeback with a Decca album were Clyde’s name on the label and no Drifters vredited (but crushed on June 13, 1972, when he died in his sleep at the “with Vocal Quartet”) was “Everyone’s Laughing” – age of 39 from complications of heart, liver, and kidney rumours says it was the Cues who backed him vocally. His disease, brought on by alcohol abuse. That abuse was first “solo” hit occurred just after being discharged - "Love fueled by a failed career and resentment he harbored Has Joined Us Together" (with Ruth Brown). He released towards the fans he felt deserted him. In a 1971 interview several R&B recordings in the next few years, including with journalist Marcia Vance, McPhatter told Vance "I have "Rock and cry", "Seven Days" (later a bigger hit for Tom no fans." He died at 1165 East 229th Street, Bronx, New Jones), "Treasure of Love," "Just to Hold my Hand", and York, where he had been living with Bertha M. Reid; they his biggest solo hit, "A Lover's Question," written by Brook were traveling together as he tried to make a comeback. Benton and Jimmy T. Williams, which peaked at No. 6 in McPhatter was a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey, at the 1958. In 1962, the song "Lover Please," written by country time of his death. He was buried at George Washington artist Billy Swan was released. His 1956 recording Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey. Ruth Brown "Treasure of Love" saw his first solo No. 1 on the R&B acknowledged in her later years that McPhatter was the charts and one week in the UK Singles Chart. It reached actual father of her son Ronald, born in 1954. Ron later No. 16 on the U.S. Pop charts. occasionally was touring with a show of off-shoot Drifters. http://www.rhythm-and-blues.info Clyde McPhatter & Bonus The original LPs featuring Clyde (1955-1970) Billy Ward and his Dominoes: Federal 295-94 (1955), Billy Ward and his Dominoes featuring Clyde McPhatter: Federal 548 (1957), Clyde McPhatter with Billy Ward and his Dominoes: King 559 (1958), Billy Ward and his Dominoes featuring Clyde McPhatter and Jackie Wilson: King 733 (1961 - reissue of 548); Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters – Rock & Roll: Atlantic 8003 (1956), Clyde McPhatter – Love Ballads: 8024 (1958), Clyde: Atlantic 8031 (1959), The Best of Clyde McPhatter: 8077 (1963), MGM 3775 1959 Let’s Start Over Again (1959) 6 http://www.rhythm-and-blues.info Clyde McPhatter & Bonus MGM 3866 Greatest Hits (1960), Mercury 20597 Ta Ta (1960), 20655 Golden Blues Hits (1961), 20711 Lover Please (1962), 20750 Rhythm and Soul (1962), Wing 12224/16224 May I Sing For you (1962), Mercury 20785 Greatest Hits (1963), 20902 Songs of the Big City (1964), Live at the Apollo 20915 (1964). All Mercury LPs had mono prefix MG- and Stereo prefix SR-(with #2.... changed to 6….) Decca 75231 Welcome Home (1970) http://www.rhythm-and-blues.info 7 Clyde McPhatter & Bonus Read more on Clyde at http://www.uncamarvy.com/ClydeMcPhatter/clydemcphatter.html 8 http://www.rhythm-and-blues.info Clyde McPhatter & Bonus OVERVIEW: (from DigitalDreamDoor.com) – image below Clyde with Ruth Brown and LaVern Baker As a 20 year old lead vocalist of the Dominoes in 1950 he used his gospel background to create an entirely new and unique style within secular recordings, stating he preferred to "take liberties with the melody" rather than adhering to what was written. The result was startling in its power and reach as he could turn simple heartbreak into anguished torment or radiant joy into pure ecstasy, something downright shocking in an era known for smooth vocal crooners and tight-knit, strictly by the book, harmonies. By contrast the Dominoes records were dynamic affairs with McPhatter's soaring tenor out front backed by wailing saxes and jumping vocal support. Even the ballads were emotional powerhouses as he'd wring out every ounce of drama from them until both he and the listener were drained. The group was such a sensation that McPhatter routinely created hysteria among the females in the audience during his tortured performance of "The Bells" night after night. His three year run fronting the Dominoes resulted in nine Top Ten hits, including two of the biggest #1 smashes of all-time, "Sixty Minute Man" and "Have Mercy Baby", which reigned for a combined twenty-four weeks in the top spot on the R&B charts. In March of 1952 the group headlined the first major rock 'n' roll concert ever given (Alan Freed's Moondog Coronation Ball in Cleveland). The show erupted into a full scale riot almost before it began and the resulting public outcry over it helped to forever seal rock's social status as a dangerous entity. Despite this nearly unrivaled success and overwhelming acclaim in the black community, McPhatter became increasingly frustrated with his lack of star billing and his status as a salaried employee to group founder, leader and songwriter Billy Ward, who ran the group with an iron hand. In 1953 McPhatter finally had enough of Ward's stifling control and quit the group, replaced by a young Jackie Wilson whom he had been grooming as his successor for months. While the Dominoes following his departure abruptly veered away from the raw and raucous style they'd practically invented, consciously distancing themselves from their immediate past, McPhatter was only just beginning to cement his legacy by spearheading the even more drastic advances on the musical horizon. As soon as word spread of his contractual release from the group that made him famous Atlantic Records president Ahmet Ertegun offered McPhatter the chance to form his own group with Clyde guaranteed top billing and in the spring of 1953 The Drifters were born sending him to an even higher level of celebrity. His two years with the Drifters came when R&B was crossing over into white teen awareness and being publicly rechristened "rock 'n' roll" in an effort to make the image of the music less racially stigmatized to an integrated audience. The Drifters set the stage for that cultural transformation with a series of scintillating songs fueled by McPhatter's incredible voice. Their debut, "Money Honey", topped the charts for 11 weeks, giving him the distinction of having sung on the biggest R&B hit for three consecutive years, something no other artist in the history of the American Pop and R&B charts has done since. A year later the salacious "Honey Love", which he co-wrote, gave them another two month stay at #1 and actually crossed into the then nearly all-white Pop Charts, a rarity at the time, especially for a song that was banned in many places due to its explicitly sexual lyrics and suggestive, almost obscene, delivery. At this point there was no question remaining as to who was poised to be the biggest star in rock 'n' roll as it reached the masses, for McPhatter had it all the already devoted following, the support of the most forward thinking record label in the business, and above all else, vocal ability that was unmatched. He was held in the highest esteem by his peers, such as Fats Domino and Chuck Berry who were ardent fans of his, and Domino would even stand in the stage wings on tours with McPhatter to watch him sing each night. His future seemed truly limitless. But it didn't last. Drafted by the Army in 1954 at the peak of his popularity, McPhatter had only one more recording session with the Drifters while on leave, resulting in the #2 smash, "What'cha Gonna Do", the melody of which was later adapted as the basis of "The Twist". The Drifters carried on in their personal appearances without him but upon his discharge in 1955 McPhatter sensed opportunity knocking to reach an even higher personal level of stardom and wasted no time in embarking on a solo career with the full backing of Atlantic Records, a move that seemed destined to pay off handsomly for all involved. The stage was set for McPhatter to rise to unprecedented heights in 1955, for as popular as vocal groups had been when rock first began making inroads into the wider marketplace, it quickly became evident that solo acts were the better bet for rapid career advancement and maybe more importantly for the kind of personal recognition that all gifted performers crave. For McPhatter, who had suffered the indignities of his mentor Billy Ward trying to conceal and downplay Clyde's role in the success of the Dominoes, and then having to share the spotlight to a degree within the Drifters, a solo career offered the opportunity to receive all of the accolades due him for once and to have a greater degree of control in his own musical destiny than ever before. http://www.rhythm-and-blues.info 9 Clyde McPhatter & Bonus Clyde McPhatter didn't set his sights low either, for it was his hope to become the first young black crossover star, able to appeal to both teenage rock fans of both races as well as to older pop fans and in the process take his place alongside the Perry Comos and Nat "King" Coles of the world as one of the biggest vocal entertainers in the business. But it was a case of misreading the landscape, as figures like Elvis Presley and Little Richard, both of whom were heavily influenced by Clyde, were leading the rock 'n' roll charge that would soon all but obliterate the old rules of the business, in the process forcing traditional pop to go the way of the dinosaur when it came to younger record buyers who were now the primary audience for hit singles. The kind of genteel tailored pop star that had once seemed infallible and held aloft as the pinnacle of success was now seen as yesterday's news, while the wild rockers, perceived as uncouth and uncontrollable to the older generation, were rapidly taking over the airwaves and steering the direction of popular music towards a frenzied new frontier. McPhatter's efforts to combine the two vastly conflicting styles in his solo career compromised his material too much for him to fully overcome. His fervent rock 'n' roll fanbase were not as pleased with his pop concessions, his drastically toned down and increasingly mannered delivery along with the intrusive addition of syrupy female choruses on many tamer songs, while white adult society could not have cared less about a black superstar trying to reach out to them, no matter how talented he was. Furthermore, the bigger the rock audience itself became with each passing day, the more recent fans of their growing ranks had no idea of McPhatter's past glories with the Dominoes and Drifters that had created this style of music to begin with. They were only looking forward now, to each new artist and record that captured their fancy, and so unlike the audience that had started the rock 'n' roll boom this newer generation didn't even have the same connection and loyalty to him that would've at least sustained interest in what he was doing as he attempted to branch out. Consequently the more McPhatter deviated from the straight-forward rock material they craved, the more irrelevant he became to the ever younger rock audience. He still scored a number of hits with his more artistically pure performances throughout the next eight years, including his final chart topper, 1958's "A Lover's Question", showing that he was more than capable of delivering with the right material, but those types of records were becoming fewer and farther between and his once invulnerable reputation within the music industry began to slowly crumble. Meanwhile both of his old groups were facing even tougher times. Billy Ward had taken the Dominoes even farther away from their racy beginnings and, like McPhatter, had hoped to conquer the traditional pop style that once had ruled the music world. Even with the astounding vocal talents of Jackie Wilson, the group floundered commercially the farther away from rock they got. Hoping to break into the still lucrative adult club scene they began playing Las Vegas casinos, most of whose audiences had never heard of their original greatness and wouldn't have liked that old style if they had, and the one whiff of mainstream success they craved came after Wilson had gone solo and Eugene Mumford sang lead for them on a comparatively tame version of the old standard "Stardust". It was a long way from Clyde's wild histrionics of "Have Mercy Baby". The Drifters too faced diminishing popularity once Clyde left them. They managed to briefly hold onto their momentum with a series of McPhatter-styled replacements at the helm, including notching another #1 R&B hit in 1955 with "Adorable", but as time wore on they slowly began losing relevance without their charismatic and instantly identifiable lead. The frustration of having to try and connect with a new younger and whiter audience proved harder than anticipated and soon the group's core began to split up, with several members leaving, rejoining and eventually getting fired by the group's thrifty manager, until finally, in 1958, they were disbanded completely and an entirely new group of singers with a far different style were brought in to carry on the name and restore them to their former glory. By the time the new Drifters hit the top again in 1959 with "There Goes My Baby", with Ben E. King on lead, McPhatter's own days as a star were mostly behind him and increasingly it seemed like there was no escaping the downward spiral of his own career. Changing record labels multiple times couldn't produce more than a few tantalizing glimpses to his past glories, 1960's "Ta Ta" going Top Ten R&B and Top 25 Pop, while 1962's "Lover Please" marked his final entry into the Pop Top Ten. Even with those successes fresh on his mind, proving that rock 'n' roll was the best avenue to follow, he stubbornly continued to try and achieve mature pop acceptance with outdated material and arrangements, insisting on strings and lush touches that neutralized his own greatest strengths as a singer and were almost guaranteed of being ignored by the larger rock 10 http://www.rhythm-and-blues.info