The Drifters is an American vocal group that performed soul, rhythm and blues and doo-wop music. They reached the peak of their popularity in the 50s and early 60s.
The group was founded in 1953 by Clyde McPhatter, who became known as background singer for Billy Ward & the Dominoes. When McPhatter was fired by the Dominoes, he started his own group, the first version of The Drifters.
The best known hits from The Drifters are Up on the roof, Save the last dance for me, Under the boardwalk, There Goes My Baby, Money Honey and Kissin 'in the back row. Four of these six were given a place among the best three hundred songs according to the American music magazine Rolling Stone.
During the long, tumultuous history of The Drifters, a large number of singers have been part of the group, and even today, groups that originated from the original Drifters still perform under that name.
