Charlie Thomas of The Drifters has died from liver most cancers on the age of 85.
The singer handed away final week, The New York Occasions has reported. He was a member of the R&B and soul group throughout their business success within the early Nineteen Sixties.
Thomas, who was born in Virginia, US in 1937, joined the band within the late Nineteen Fifties after The Drifters’ supervisor George Treadwell fired all the present bandmembers following a disastrous live performance on the Apollo in Harlem, New York Metropolis.
Though Thomas was singing in a band known as The 5 Crowns on the time, he joined the group and went on to attain their solely Billboard Quantity One hit, ‘Save The Final Dance For Me’. Ben E. King was additionally in The Drifters.
Later, he sang on a minimum of two of The Drifters’ larger hits together with ‘Sweets For My Candy’ (1962) and ‘When My Little Woman Is Smiling’ (1962).
Thomas left the brand new iteration of The Drifters in 1967 however continued to carry out with members of the prolonged Drifters household over the next few many years, typically as a part of a gaggle known as The Unique Drifters however extra typically as a gaggle bearing his identify, Charlie Thomas’ Drifters.
Alongside members of The Unique Drifters, Thomas was inducted into the Rock & Roll Corridor Of Fame in 1988.
Tributes have poured in for the late singer after information of his loss of life emerged. Some tributes have been posted nearer to the time of his loss of life final week (seemingly on Tuesday, January 31), nevertheless, mainstream information shops have solely reported on his passing this week.
The Rock Corridor wrote on Twitter: “Charlie Thomas’ elegant tenor vocals helped bridge gospel with R&B and blues and laid the muse for Nineteen Sixties soul music. His work with The Drifters ushered in a golden age of putting up with hits like ‘There Goes My Child,’ ‘Sweets for My Candy,’ ‘When My Little Woman Is Smiling,’ and ‘Save the Final Dance for Me.’
(1/2) In Memoriam: 1988 Inductee Charlie Thomas’ elegant tenor vocals helped bridge gospel with R&B and blues and laid the muse for Nineteen Sixties soul music. His work with The Drifters ushered in a golden age of putting up with hits like “There Goes My Child,” “Sweets for My Candy,” pic.twitter.com/VzaCAEPet1
— Rock Corridor (@rockhall) February 7, 2023
“Charlie Thomas’ suave, subtle voice elevated on a regular basis joys and loves, putting a common chord in listeners in all places.”
Sadly, we misplaced one other good buddy in the present day, Charlie Thomas of the Drifters. Relaxation in peace, Charlie. We are going to miss you.#rocknroll#legend pic.twitter.com/BtBTipIZi8
— Gary U.S. Bonds (@gary_us_bonds) February 1, 2023
Veteran R&B and rock’n’roll singer Gary U.S. Bonds additionally paid tribute. “Sadly, we misplaced one other good buddy in the present day, Charlie Thomas of the Drifters. Relaxation in peace, Charlie. We are going to miss you. #rocknroll #legend,” he wrote on Twitter.
Session musician Ivan “Funkboy” Bodley, who has performed with acts together with Sting, Elvis Costello, The Temptations, and The Drifters’ Ben E. King, mentioned: “Relaxation properly, candy Charlie Thomas (The Drifters), R&R Corridor of Famer, cherished buddy. Years in the past, he mentioned, ‘Keep in mind, Ivan, wherever you go on this world, you’ve bought Charlie Thomas with you.’ It stayed with me ever since. He was proper. I’ll all the time have Charlie Thomas with me.”
Relaxation properly, candy Charlie Thomas (The Drifters), R&R Corridor of Famer, cherished buddy. Yeats in the past, he mentioned, “Keep in mind, Ivan, wherever you go on this world, you’ve got bought Charlie Thomas with you.” It stayed with me ever since. He was proper. I’ll all the time have Charlie Thomas with me. pic.twitter.com/HBBvi698kU
— Ivan Funkboy Bodley (@funkboynyc) January 31, 2023
See extra tributes under.
R.I.P. Charlie Thomas of The Drifters. pic.twitter.com/9jkORT5AKE
— Flibie (@flibie28) February 1, 2023
Wish to make music that’s timeless? Be one among The Drifters. Relaxation In Peace, Charlie Thomas. https://t.co/QnwVagscA9
— Frank Conniff (@FrankConniff) February 6, 2023
R.I.P. Charlie Thomas of the Drifters.
I all the time loved taking part in bass for you. Thanks for the music! #drifters #doowop pic.twitter.com/llBAtg4xl5— Michael Rais (@mraisbass) February 1, 2023
The CMHOF expresses their deepest condolences for the lack of Charlie Thomas. Charlie Thomas was most recognized for his vocal expertise within the standard group The Drifters. Our ideas and prayers are with the household and associates of Charlie Thomas.#CharlieThomas pic.twitter.com/vRkRDluCtc
— California Music Corridor Of Fame (@CAMusicHall) January 31, 2023
