TOUR NOTES BIOGRAPHIES
Clyde McPhatter
Born in Durham, North Carolina in 1932, Clyde Lensley McPhatter was the son of a clergyman and sang in the church choir before going professional with a gospel group at the age of 14. in 1950, he met Billy Ward and joined his group, The Dominoes. Some of the group’s most successful songs were "Sixty Minute Man" and "Have Mercy Baby" in which Clyde sang lead.
In 1953, Clyde left The Dominoes to form his own group, The Drifters. Their first number one hit "Money Honey", became an instant classic in 1953. Clyde’s career with the Drifters ended in 1955, when Clyde was drafted.
While on leave in 1956, Clyde recorded his first solo effort "Seven Days" which made the pop charts. In 1958, Clyde recorded his most successful pop tune "A Lover’s Question".
A strong influence on the soul era, he was there in the very early days of rock-and-roll and made significant contributions to the commercial success that it became.
Clyde McPhatter died of a heart attack on June 13, 1972 and was inducted into the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
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