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Clyde McPhatter
Rock & Roll, Rhythm & Blues
Scott #2726
Joint Release on June 16, 1993
at Santa Monica, CA & Cleveland, OH
Designed by John Berkey
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Clyde Lensley McPhatter was the son of a
minister. He was born in Durham, North Carolina in 1932 and raised in New
Jersey. Clyde sang in the choir of his father's church until 1946 when he
joined a professional gospel group.
Clyde became the lead singer for Billy
Ward's Dominos in 1950. During Clyde's first year, the group
recorded 3 top Rhythm and Blues hits, Do Something for Me, I
Am With You, and Sixty Minute Man. Sixty Minute
Man was also a hit on the Pop charts. From 1951 to 1952, Clyde
recorded the top ten hits, The Bells, These Foolish Things
Remind Me of You, Have Mercy Baby, and I'd Be
Satisfied.
In 1953 Clyde formed his own group called The
Drifters and recorded for Atlantic
Records. The group consisted of William Anderson,
David Baldwin, David Baughan, and James
Johnson, all former members of the Mount Lebanon Singers.
Some of the Drifters top hits were Lucille, Money Honey,
Honey Love, Such a Night, Whatcha Gonna do,
and White Christmas. The group disbanded after Clyde was drafted
into the Army in 1954.
Clyde returned to the music business in 1955
with Love Has Joined Us Together which was number eight on the
Rhythm and Blues charts and A Lover's Question which hit the top
ten on the Pop charts. Clyde's singing style was a major influence on both Sam
Cooke and Elvis
Presley.
Clyde began recording for Mercury Records
in 1960. He recorded just three hits on that label. They were Ta Ta,
I Never Knew and Crying Won't Help You Now. By the
mid 1960s Clyde's alcoholism began to catch up with him and his career started
to go downhill.
Clyde McPhatter died of a heart attack on June
13, 1972. He was inducted into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Sources:
Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame
Atlanta Music
Group (AMG)
Encyclopedia
Africana
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