Clyde Lensley McPhatter (November 15, c. 1932 – June 13, 1972) rhythm and blues, soul and rock and roll singer.

Clyde McPhatter

Clyde Lensley McPhatter (Durham, 15 novembre 1932 – Teaneck, 13 giugno 1972) è stato un cantante statunitense.  

Biografia

Nato nella Carolina del Nord, nei primi anni '50 si è fatto notare come tenore del quintetto Billy Ward & The Dominoes, che ha lasciato nel 1953 venendo sostituito da Jackie Wilson. Dopo aver cofondato i The Drifters, è stato costretto a una pausa forzata per il servizio militare. Con i The Drifters ha registrato diversi classici come Money Honey (1953) e Such a Night (1954), prima di intraprendere la carriera solista. Nel 1956 ha firmato un contratto con la Atlantic Records e negli anni seguenti ha pubblicato diversi singoli molto venduti tra cui Treasure of Love, Without Love e Come What May. Nel 1959 è passato alla MGM e circa un anno dopo alla Mercury Records. A partire dal 1964 ha avuto una crisi personale ed è diventato un alcolista. Nel 1972, vittima di un attacco cardiaco, è morto a soli 39 anni.
Nel 1987 è stato inserito nella Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Discografia parziale

Singoli

• Seven Days (1956)
• Treasure of Love (1956)
• Just to Hold My Hand (1957)
• A Lover's Question (1958)
• Since You've Been Gone (1959)
• Let's Try Again (1959)
• Ta Ta (Just Like a Baby) (1960)
• Lover Please (1962)

 

 

Clyde Lensley McPhatter (November 15, c. 1932 – June 13, 1972) was an American rhythm and blues, soul and rock and roll singer. He was one of the most widely imitated R&B singers of the 1950s and early 1960s and was a key figure in the shaping of doo-wop and R&B.
McPhatter's high-pitched tenor voice was steeped in the gospel music he sang in much of his early life. He was the lead tenor of the Mount Lebanon Singers, a gospel group he formed as a teenager. He was later the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes and was largely responsible for the initial success of the group. After his tenure with the Dominoes, McPhatter formed his own group, the Drifters, and later worked as a solo performer. 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."
McPhatter left a legacy of over 22 years of recording history. He was the first artist to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, first as a solo artist and later as a member of the Drifters.
Subsequent double and triple inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are said to be members of the "Clyde McPhatter Club"

Life and career

Early life

McPhatter was born in the community of Hayti, in Durham, North Carolina on November 15, although the year is disputed. Some sources cite 1932. Author Colin Escott cites 1931, stating that "most biographies quote 1933 or 1934, although government documents cite the earlier year".
He was raised in a Baptist family, the son of the Rev. George McPhatter and his wife Beulah (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 promoted to shift manager upon graduating high school. The family then relocated to New York City, where Clyde formed a gospel group, the Mount Lebanon Singers.


With Billy Ward & the Dominoes (1950–53)

In 1950, after winning the coveted Amateur Night at Harlem's Apollo Theater contest, McPhatter returned to his job as a store manager but was later recruited by Billy Ward and his 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 named 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 concluded, "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."
After recording several more songs with the Dominoes, 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, McPhatter did not earn much money; Ward paid him $100 a week, minus deductions for food, taxes, motel bills, etc. In an interview in 1971 McPhatter told journalist Marcia Vance that "whenever I'd get back on the block where everybody'd heard my records—half the time I couldn't afford a Coca-Cola."
Due to such occurrences, and, as he was frequently at odds with Ward, McPhatter decided he would quit the Dominoes, intent on making a name for himself. He announced his intention to quit the group, and Ward agreed to his leaving provided that McPhatter stayed long enough to coach a replacement. Auditions for a replacement were held at Detroit's Fox Theater, and a young Jackie Wilson later took over as lead tenor for the Dominoes. The position influenced 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.
Privately, McPhatter and Ward often argued, but publicly McPhatter expressed his appreciation of 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."


The Drifters (1953-54)

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.
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 U.S. Army and assigned to Special Services in the continental United States, which allowed him to continue recording. After his tour of duty, he left the Drifters and launched a solo career. The Drifters continued as a successful group, but with many changes in personnel, and the group assembled by McPhatter was long gone by the time of their greatest successes after he left the group. The initial members of the Drifters McPhatter assembled were mostly from the Mount Lebanon Singers.
Upon his departure from The Drifters, McPhatter unwisely sold his share of the group to the band's manager George Treadwell, a decision that he later came to regret, after realizing that he caused his fellow musicians to experience unprofitability and the group essentially became a revolving door line-up with recycled members on a ridiculous $100 weekly salary and paid virtually no royalties..


Solo career

Just after his military discharge, McPhatter recorded his first solo hit, "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 number 6 in 1958.
The song "Lover Please," written by the country artist Billy Swan, was released in 1962. McPhatter's 1956 recording "Treasure of Love" was his first number 1 hit on the R&B charts as a solo artist and spent one week in the UK Singles Chart. It reached number 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.
After leaving Atlantic Records, McPhatter then signed 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."^{[citation needed]} 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 number 7 in 1962. After "Lover Please", McPhatter's career took a downward turn, as musical styles and tastes were constantly changing during the 1960s. He turned to alcohol abuse, sporadically releasing recordings that failed to chart.^{[citation needed]}
In 1968, McPhatter moved to England, where he still had something of a following, utilizing the UK band ICE as backup.^{[citation needed]}


Death

McPhatter returned to the U.S. in 1970, making a few appearances in rock-and-roll revival tours, but lived mostly as 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, of complications of heart, liver, and kidney disease, brought on by alcohol abuse - abuse fueled by a failed career and resentment he harbored towards the fans he felt deserted him. In his interview with journalist Marcia Vance, McPhatter said, "I have no fans." He died at 1165 East 229th Street, 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. He was buried at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey.
Ruth Brown acknowledged in her later years that McPhatter was the father of her son Ronald, born in 1954. Ron now tours with his own group named after his father - Clyde McPhatter's Drifters.


Legacy and honors

• In 1987, McPhatter was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
• The Rockabilly Hall of Fame recognized his pioneering efforts.
• The Original Drifters were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
• The United States Postal Service issued a stamp in McPhatter's honor in 1993.
• The song "Money Honey" (1953) was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
• McPhatter was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009.

 

 

Clyde McPhatter -- A Lover's Question - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrqW1EBLyJA

Lyrics

Does she love me, with all her heart
Should I worry, when we're apart
It's a lover's question, I'd like to know.

Does she need me, as she pretends
Is this a game, well then will I win
It's a lover's question, I'd like to know.

I'd like to know when she's not with me
If she's still true to me
I'd like to know when we're kissing
Does she feel just what I feel,
And how am I to know it's really real.
Oh, tell me where, the answer lies
Is it in her kiss or in her eyes
It's a lover's question, I'd like to know.
[Repeat Verse]

Songwriters: Brook Benton / Jimmy Williams

A Lover's Question lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

Artist: Clyde McPhatter

Album: Clyde

Recorded: 1958

B-side: "I Can't Stand Up Alone"

Genres: Classic R&B, Pop

 

Clyde Mcphatter Lover Please - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLPbGKF_GV0

Lyrics

Lover please, please come back
Don't take a train coming down the track
Don't, please don't, don't leave me
Don't leave me in misery

You would never hold me so near
You would never call me "Dear"
Don't you know I'd die for you?
Now you're gone, that's what I'll do

All those stories, not too long
About a love that went all wrong
The girl left the boy, just as bad
Now she's gone, she's so sad

You would never hold me so near
You would never have called me "Dear"
Don't you know I'd die for you?
Now you're gone, that's what I'll do

Songwriters: Billy Swan

Lover Please lyrics © Lyn-lou Music Inc

Artist: Clyde McPhatter

Album: Lover Please

Released: 1962

Genre: R&B/Soul

 

Clyde McPhatter - TREASURE OF LOVE - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lETG3uLUV9I

Lyrics

A treasure of love, is fine
It's waiting for you, if you're here, art isn't blind
A treasure of love, is not very far
It glows like fire and it shines, like a star

It's stronger than diamonds and worth more than gold
This is a treasure that never grows old
The treasure of love is found on no chart
To find where it is just look in your heart

It's stronger than diamonds and worth more than gold
This is a treasure that never grows old
The treasure of love is found on no chart
To find where it is just look in your heart

Songwriters: Joe Shapiro / Lou Stallman

Treasure of Love lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Artist: Clyde McPhatter

Album: Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters

Released: 1956

Genres: Blues, Pop

Clyde McPhatter- Without Love (There Is Nothing) - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9KRoOX6JvE

 

Clyde McPhatter- Without Love (There Is Nothing) - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9KRoOX6JvE

Lyrics

I awakened this morning, I was filled with despair
All my dreams turned to ashes and gone, oh yeah
As I looked at my life it was barren and bare

Without love I've had nothing at all
Without love I've had nothing
Without love I've had nothing at all

I have conquered the world
All but one thing did I have
Without love I've had nothing at all
Once I had a sweetheart who loved only me

There was nothing, oh that she would not give, oh no
But I was blind to her goodness and I could not see
That a heart without love cannot live

Without love I've had nothing
Without love I've had nothing at all
I have conquered the world
All but one thing did I have
Without love I've had nothing at all

Songwriters: Chuck Butler / Kerrie Roberts / Nate Smith

Without Love (There Is Nothing) lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Artist: Clyde McPhatter

Album: Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters

Released: 1956

Genres: Blues, Pop

 

Clyde McPhatter - Come What May - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIwBSpcNlVU

Lyrics

I am yours and you are mine
Come what may
Love like ours remains divine
Come what may

Even though we're miles apart
You're living in my lonely heart
At night the teardrops start
And fall the long, long day

I got your picture near me
Since you went away
I plant a kiss upon your lips
Each night and day

Bear in mind that you will find
A heart that is true
And I'll be here for you
Come what may

I got your picture near me
Since you went away
I plant a kiss upon your lips
Each night and day

Bear in mind that you will find
A heart that is true
And I'll be here for you
Come what may

And I'll be here for you
Come what may
And I'll be here for you
Come what may

Songwriters: Jimmy Oliver

Come What May lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

Artist: Clyde McPhatter

Album: Love Ballads

Genre: R&B/Soul