SOUTH FLORIDA – It has been 67 years since The Drifters launched what would become a storied career on the streets of New York City. In 2018, the music that has made them one of soul/Rhythm and Blues’ legendary acts, carries on through The Original Drifters.
The latest edition (Russell Henry, Chuck Cockerham, Richard Knight Dunbar, and Roger Whitehead) is scheduled to headline the Reggae Meets Soul show, scheduled for April 8 at Coral Springs Center For The Arts.
Annette Brissett, Ernie Smith, Kashief Lindo, Mical Rustle and The Melodians, are also on the event.
Maxine Porter, who manages the group, said they keep busy on the road with gigs mainly in intimate settings.
“Venues vary from festivals, cruises, casinos, theaters, private events, etc. They will entertain at a Las Vegas area casino (one week) and a San Francisco Bay area theater (the) next weekend,” she explained.
The current lineup was assembled by Bill Pinkney, an original member of The Drifters alongside legendary tenor Clyde McPhatter.
Pinkney, who was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame as an original member in 1988, died in 2007. But the quartet has soldiered on, winning new fans over the years as classic songs like Stand By Me, Up On The Roof and White Christmas, are either sampled by contemporary artistes or revived by appearing in movies.
“Audiences vary because our show has multi-generational appeal, some sparked by the inclusion in the blockbuster movie Home Alone of The Drifters’ 1954 version of White Christmas, Bill Pinkney’s signature song. The shows include standards, traditional Drifters, new recordings, and a salute to the founders,” said Porter.
Reggae Meets Soul will also be graced by The Melodians which formed in Kingston, Jamaica’s capital, in the early 1960s. Based in South Florida, their hits include Sweet Sensation, Little Nut Tree and By The Rivers of Babylon.
