Clyde McPhatter
(Read all about Clyde Mc Phatter after the video)
Clyde Lensley McPhatter (November 15, 1932 – June 13, 1972) was an American R&B, soul and rock 'n' roll singer. He was perhaps the most widely imitated R&B singer of the 1950s and early 1960s,[2]
making him a key figure in the shaping of doo-wop and R&B. His
high-pitched tenor voice was steeped in the gospel music he sang in much
of his younger life. Best known for his solo hit "A Lover's Question", McPhatter was lead tenor of The Mount Lebanon Singers, a gospel group he formed as a teenager,[3] and later, lead tenor of Billy Ward and His Dominoes.
McPhatter was largely responsible for the success the Dominoes
initially enjoyed. After his tenure with the Dominoes, McPhatter formed
his own group, the Drifters, before going solo. Only 39 at the time of his death, he had struggled for years with alcoholism and depression and was, according to Jay Warner’s On This Day in Music History, "broke and despondent over a mismanaged career that made him a legend but hardly a success."[4][5]
At the time of his passing, Clyde McPhatter left a legacy of over 22
years of recording history. He was the first artist in music history to
become a double inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, first as a
member of the Drifters, and later as a solo artist, and as a result,
all subsequent double and triple inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are said to be members of "The Clyde McPhatter Club."[6][7]
Life and career
Early life
Clyde Lensley McPhatter was born in the tobacco town community of Hayti, in Durham, North Carolina, on November 15, 1932, and raised in a religious Baptist
family; the son of Rev. George McPhatter and wife Beulah (though some
accounts refer to her as Eva). Starting at the age of five, he sang in
his father's church gospel
choir along with his three brothers and three sisters. When he was ten,
Clyde was the soprano-voiced soloist for the choir. In 1945, Rev.
McPhatter moved his family to Teaneck, New Jersey,
where Clyde attended Chelsior High School. He worked part-time as a
grocery store clerk, and was eventually promoted to shift manager upon
graduating high school.[3] The family then relocated to New York City, where Clyde formed the gospel group The Mount Lebanon Singers.[8]
Membership in Billy Ward & the Dominoes (1950–53)
In 1950, after winning the envied "Amateur Night" at Harlem's Apollo Theater, McPhatter returned to his job as store manager but was later recruited by Billy Ward & the Dominoes, and was present for the recording of "Sixty Minute Man" for Federal Records, produced by Ralph Bass.
Billy Ward and his Dominoes was one of the top R&B vocal groups in the country, garnering more popularity than the Clovers, the Ravens and the Five Keys, largely due to McPhatter's fervent, high-pitched tenor. In his book The Drifters, Bill Millar names Ben E. King, Smokey Robinson of the Miracles, Sammy Turner, and Marv Johnson
among the many vocalists who patterned themselves after McPhatter.
"Most important," he concludes, "McPhatter took hold of the Ink Spots'
simple major chord harmonies, drenched them in call-and-response
patterns and sang as if he were back in church. In doing so, he created a
revolutionary musical style from which---thankfully---popular music
will never recover."[9] Strangely enough, McPhatter didn't think much of his own singing abilities.
After recording several more songs, including "Have Mercy Baby", "Do Something for Me," and "The Bells",
McPhatter left the Dominoes on May 7, 1953. He was sometimes passed off
as "Clyde Ward, Billy's little brother." Others assumed it was Billy
Ward doing the lead singing. As a member of The Dominoes, Clyde didn't
earn much money. Ward paid him $100 a week, minus deductions for food,
taxes, motel bills, etc. During an interview in 1971 McPhatter told
journalist Marcia Vance "whenever I'd get back on the block where
everybody'd heard my records - half the time I couldn't afford a
Coca-Cola."[10]
Because of such occurrences, and because he was frequently at odds with
Ward, McPhatter decided he would quit the Dominoes, intent on making a
name for himself. McPhatter announced his intent to quit the group which
Billy Ward agreed to if Clyde would stay on long enough to coach a
replacement. Later, auditions for a replacement were held at Detroit's
Fox Theater and a young Jackie Wilson
would later take over as lead tenor for the Dominoes, influencing
Wilson's singing style and stage presence. "I fell in love with the
man's voice. I toured with the group and watched Clyde and
listened..."—and apparently learned.[3]
Privately, McPhatter and Ward often argued, but publicly Clyde
expressed his appreciation to Ward for giving him his start in
entertainment. "I think Billy Ward is a very wonderful musician and
entertainer. I appreciate all he did for me in giving me my start in
show business."[10]
Founder of the Drifters (1953–1954)
Ahmet Ertegün, founder of Atlantic Records and Jerry Wexler, eagerly sought McPhatter after noticing he was not present for an appearance the Dominoes once made at Birdland, which was "an odd booking for the Dominoes", in Ertegün's words.[11]
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 them the Drifters.
They recorded a few tracks in June 1953, including a song called
"Lucille," written by McPhatter himself. This group of Drifters did not
have the sound Atlantic executives were looking for however, and Clyde
was prompted to assemble another group of singers. The revised lineup
recorded and released such hits as "Money Honey," "Such a Night," "Honey Love," "White Christmas"
and "Whatcha Gonna Do," with the record label displaying the group name
"Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters" on the first two singles, later
changed to "The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter".
In late 1954, McPhatter was inducted into the Army and assigned to
Special Services in the continental United States, which allowed him to
continue recording. After his tour of duty was up, he left the Drifters
and launched a solo career. The Drifters continued on as a very
successful group, although the story of the Drifters is full of
wholesale personnel changes, and the group of Drifters Clyde assembled
were long gone by the time of their greatest post-McPhatter successes.
The first Drifters group McPhatter assembled were mostly members of the
Mount Lebanon Singers.
Solo career
McPhatter's first solo hit occurred just after being discharged - "Love Has Joined Us Together" (with Ruth Brown). He released several R&B recordings in the next few years, including "Rock and cry", "Seven Days" (later a bigger hit for Tom Jones), "Treasure of Love," "Let me know", "Just to Hold my Hand", and his biggest solo hit, "A Lover's Question," written by Brook Benton
and Jimmy T. Williams, which peaked at No. 6 in 1958. In 1962, the song
"Lover Please," written by country artist Billy Swan was released. His
1956 recording "Treasure of Love" saw his first solo No. 1 on the
R&B charts and one week in the UK Singles Chart. It reached No. 16 on the U.S. Pop charts, sold over two million copies in the United States alone, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA.[12]
After leaving Atlantic Records, McPhatter then signed on with MGM Records, and released several more songs, including "I Told Myself a Lie" and "Think Me a Kiss" (1960) and his first single for Mercury Records
"Ta Ta." His tenure on these labels proved to be less fruitful than his
time with Atlantic. He moved to other record labels and recorded more
singles, including "I Never Knew" and his final Top Ten hit "Lover
Please," which made it to No. 7 in 1962. It was after "Lover Please"
that McPhatter saw a downward turn in his career, as musical styles and
tastes were constantly changing during the 1960s. These directional
changes were the main reason McPhatter turned to alcohol abuse, as more sporadic recordings failed to chart.
In 1968, McPhatter moved to England, where he still had something of a following, utilizing UK band "ICE" as backup.
Death
McPhatter
returned to the U.S. in 1970, making a few appearances in rock 'n roll
revival tours, but remaining mostly a recluse. Hopes for a major
comeback with a Decca album were crushed on June 13, 1972, when he died
in his sleep at the age of 39 from complications of heart, liver, and kidney disease,
brought on by alcohol abuse. That abuse was fueled by a failed career
and resentment he harbored towards the fans he felt had deserted him.[10] During his interview with journalist Marcia Vance, McPhatter told Vance "I have no fans."[13] He died at 1165 East 229th Street, The Bronx, New York, where he had been living with Bertha M. Reid; they were traveling together as he tried to make a comeback.
McPhatter was a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey, at the time of his death.[14] He was buried at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey.[15][16]
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