The Drifters

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Please note that early releases can be found under Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters. Please be careful before incorrectly re-adding them here.

The Drifters, like their name, were an ever-changing group:
May - June 1953: Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters Clyde McPhatter, David Baughan, William Anderson, David Baldwin, James Johnson
August 1953: Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters Clyde McPhatter, Bill Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, Willie Ferbee
1953 - 1954: Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters: Clyde McPhatter, Bill Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, Jimmy Oliver (gtr)
Mid 1954: The Drifters: David Baughan, Bill Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, Jimmy Oliver
Late 1954 - March 1955: David Baughan, Bill Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, Johnny Moore, Jimmy Oliver
Mid 1955 - August 1955: David Baughan, Bill Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, Jimmy Oliver
August 1955 - August 1956: Johnny Moore, Bill Pinkney, Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, Jimmy Oliver
August 1956 - Late 1957: Johnny Moore, Gerhart Thrasher, Tommy Evans, Charlie Hughes, Jimmy Oliver
Late 1957 - May 1958: Bobby Hendricks, Gerhart Thrasher, Jimmy Millinder, Tommy Evans
June 1958 - Mid 1959: Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas, Dock Green, Elsbeary Hobbs, James Clark
Mid 1959 - May 1960: Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas, Dock Green, Elsbeary Hobbs, Johnny Lee Williams, Reggie Kimber (gtr)
Mid 1960: Charlie Thomas, Dock Green, Elsbeary Hobbs, James Poindexter, Reggie Kimber
Mid 1960: Rudy Lewis, Charlie Thomas, Dock Green, William Van Dyke, Reggie Kimber
Mid 1960 - Late 1960: Rudy Lewis, Charlie Thomas, Dock Green, George Grant, Reggie Kimber
Late 1960 - Mid 1962: Rudy Lewis, Charlie Thomas, Dock Green, Tommy Evans, Billy Davis (gtr)
Mid 1962 - Late 1962: Rudy Lewis, Charlie Thomas, Tommy Evans, Gene Pearson, Billy Davis
Early 1963: Rudy Lewis, Charlie Thomas, Gene Pearson, Johnny Terry, Billy Davis
April 1963 - May 1964: Johnny Moore, Rudy Lewis, Charlie Thomas, Gene Pearson, Johnny Terry, Billy Davis
May 1964 - Mid 1966: Johnny Moore, Gene Pearson, Johnny Terry, Charlie Thomas, Billy Davis
July 1966: Johnny Moore, Gene Pearson, Charlie Thomas, Dan Danbridge, Billy Davis
August - September 1966: Johnny Moore, Gene Pearson, Charlie Thomas, William Brent, Billy Davis
October 1966 - Early 1967: Johnny Moore, Charlie Thomas, Rick Sheppard, William Brent, Billy Davis
Early 1967 - Mid 1967: Johnny Moore, Charlie Thomas, Rick Sheppard, Bill Fredericks, Billy Davis
Mid 1967 - Late 1967: Johnny Moore, Rick Sheppard, Bill Fredericks, Charles Baskerville, Billy Davis
November 1967: Johnny Moore, Rick Sheppard, Bill Fredericks, Billy Davis
December 1967 - Late 1969: Johnny Moore, Rick Sheppard, Bill Fredericks, Milton Turner
Late 1969 - Late 1971: Johnny Moore, Rick Sheppard, Bill Fredericks, Don Thomas
Early 1972 - Mid 1974: Johnny Moore, Bill Fredericks, Butch Leake, Grant Kitchings, Butch Mann (gtr)
Mid 1974 - Early 1975: Johnny Moore, Clyde Brown, Butch Leake, Grant Kitchings, Butch Mann
Mid 1975 - Early 1976: Johnny Moore, Clyde Brown, Butch Leake, Billy Lewis, Butch Mann
Early 1976 - Mid 1978: Johnny Moore, Clyde Brown, Joe Blunt, Billy Lewis
Mid 1978 - 1979: Clyde Brown, Ray Lewis, Joe Blunt, Billy Lewis, Butch Mann
1980 - 1981: Johnny Moore, Clyde Brown, Ray Lewis, Louis Price
Late 1981 - 1983: Ben E. King, Bill Fredericks, Ray Lewis, Louis Price
1983 - 1985: Ben E. King, Johnny Moore, Joe Blunt, Clyde Brown
Early 1986 - Late 1986: Ray Lewis, Billy Lewis, Louis Price, Jonah Ellis
Early 1987: Johnny Moore, Ray Lewis, Billy Lewis, Gene Jenkins
March - May 1987: Johnny Moore, Ray Lewis, Billy Lewis, George Chandler
May 1987 - July 1988: Johnny Moore, Ray Lewis, Billy Lewis, John Thurston
August 1988 - October 1989: Johnny Moore, Billy Lewis, John Thurston, Joe Cofie
October - November 1989: Johnny Moore, Joe Cofie, John Thurston, George Chandler
November 1989: Johnny Moore, Joe Cofie, John Thurston, Tony Jackson
November - December 1989: Johnny Moore, Joe Cofie, John Thurston, Keith John
Early 1990 - Mid 1990: Johnny Moore, Joe Cofie, John Thurston, Peter Lamarr
Late 1990: Johnny Moore, Roy Hemmings, Joe Cofie, Patrick Alan
Early - Mid 1991: Johnny Moore, Roy Hemmings, Joe Cofie, Peter Lamarr
Mid 1991 - Early 1995: Johnny Moore, Roy Hemmings, Joe Cofie, Rohan Delano Turney
Early 1995 - Late 1996: Johnny Moore, Roy Hemmings, Rohan Delano Turney, Jason Leigh
Late 1996 - Dec 1998: Johnny Moore, Roy Hemmings, Rohan Delano Turney, Peter Lamarr
Mid 1998 - Late 2001: Roy Hemmings, Rohan Delano Turney, Patrick Alan, Peter Lamarr
Early 2002 - Late 2003: Roy Hemmings, Rohan Delano Turney, Patrick Alan, Victor Bynoe
2004 to present (2010): Peter Lamarr, Rohan Delano Turney, Patrick Alan, Victor Bynoe

Inducted into Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 (performer).

Official sources:
‘Rockin’ & Driftin’ – The Drifters Box (Warner Bros / Rhino Records RZ 72417) - 1996
‘The Drifters – Save The Last Dance For Me’ by Tony Allan with Faye Treadwell (MAGIM 903) - 1997
‘The Definitive Drifters’ (Warner Bros WSMCD137) – 2003