Charlie Thomas of The Drifters has died of liver cancer aged 85.
The singer passed away last week. The New York Times What is the report? He was a member of R&B and soul groups during their commercial success in the early 1960s.
Thomas, who was born in 1937 in Virginia, US, joined the band in the late 1950s when the Drifters’ manager, George Treadwell, left all the current bands after a disastrous concert at the Apollo in Harlem, New York City. Members were dismissed.
Although Thomas was singing in a band called The Five Crowns at the time, he joined the group and scored his own single. Billboard Number one hit, ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’. Ben E. King was also in The Drifters.
Later, she sang on at least two of The Drifters’ biggest hits, including ‘Sweets for My Sweet’ (1962) and ‘Jab Meri Choti Galdi Muskar Rahi Hai’ (1962).
Thomas left the new iteration of The Drifters in 1967 but continued to perform with members of the extended Drifters family over the next few decades, sometimes as part of a group called The Original Drifters but mostly as the group. But whose name was Charlie Thomas. The pretenders
Along with members of The Original Drifters, Thomas was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
Tributes were paid to the late singer after the news of his death came out. Some tributes were posted last week around the time of his death (apparently on Tuesday, January 31), however, mainstream news outlets only reported his passing this week.
The Rock Hall wrote on Twitter: “Charlie Thomas’ beautiful tenor voice helped meld gospel with R&B and blues and laid the foundation for 1960s soul music. His work with The Drifters on ‘There Goes My Baby’, ‘Sweets for My Sweet’, ‘When My Little Girl Is Smiling’, and ‘Save the Last Dance for Me’ launched a golden era of enduring hits.
(1/2) In Memoriam: 1988 inductee Charlie Thomas’ beautiful tenor voice helped meld gospel with R&B and blues and laid the groundwork for 1960s soul music. His work with The Drifters ushered in a golden age of hits such as “There Goes My Baby,” “Sweets for My Sweet.” pic.twitter.com/VzaCAEPet1
— Rock Hall (@rockhall) February 7, 2023
“Charlie Thomas’ humble, sophisticated voice elevates everyday joys and loves, striking a universal chord with audiences everywhere.”
Sadly we lost another good friend today, Charlie Thomas of Drifters. Rest in peace, Charlie. we will miss you.#Rock & Roll#Legend pic.twitter.com/BtBTipIZi8
— Gary US Bonds (@gary_us_bonds) 1 February 2023
Veteran R&B and rock ‘n’ roll singer Gary US Bonds also paid tribute. “Sadly, we lost another good friend today, Charlie Thomas of Drifters. Rest in peace, Charlie. We will miss you. #rocknroll #legend,” he wrote on Twitter.
Session musician Evan “Funkboy” Bodley, who has performed with Sting, Elvis Costello, The Temptations, and The Drifters’ Ben E. King, said: “Rest in peace, dear Charlie Thomas (The Drifters), R&R Hall. Of Famer, dear friend. Years ago, he said, ‘Remember Evan, wherever you go in this world, you’ve got Charlie Thomas with you.’ It has stayed with me ever since. He was right. I will always have Charlie Thomas with me.
Rest well, dear Charlie Thomas (The Drifters), R&R Hall of Famer, dear friend. Before Yeats, he said, “Remember, Evan, wherever you go in this world, you’ve got Charlie Thomas with you.” It stayed with me ever since. He was right. I will always have Charlie Thomas by my side. pic.twitter.com/HBBvi698kU
— Evan Funkboy Bodley (@funkboynyc) 31 January 2023
See more tributes below.
RIP Charlie Thomas of Drifters. pic.twitter.com/9jkORT5AKE
— Flibie (@flibie28) 1 February 2023
Want to make timeless music? Be one of the Drifters. Rest in peace, Charlie Thomas. https://t.co/QnwVagscA9
— Frank Conniff (@FrankConniff) February 6, 2023
RIP Charlie Thomas of The Drifters.
I always enjoy playing bass for you. Thank you for the music! #Pretenders #doowop pic.twitter.com/llBAtg4xl5— Michael Rais (@mraisbass) 1 February 2023
The CMHOF expresses its deepest condolences on the loss of Charlie Thomas. Charlie Thomas was best known for his vocal talents in the popular group The Drifters. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Charlie Thomas.#CharlieThomas pic.twitter.com/vRkRDluCtc
— California Music Hall of Fame (@CAMusicHall) 31 January 2023
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