Clyde McPhatter: The R&B Pioneer Who Died Too Young (2024)

Clyde McPhatter was one of the most influential singers of the 1950s and early 1960s, whose high-pitched tenor voice and emotional style anticipated soul music. He was the lead singer of the Dominoes and the Drifters, two of the most popular vocal groups of the era, and also had a successful solo career. He was the first artist to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a soloist and as a member of the Drifters. However, his life and career were cut short by alcoholism, depression, and health problems, which led to his death at the age of 39.

Early Life and Career

Clyde McPhatter was born on November 15, 1932, in Durham, North Carolina, to a Baptist family. He started singing in his father’s church choir at the age of five, and later formed his own gospel group, the Mount Lebanon Singers. In 1950, he won a talent contest at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, and was recruited by Billy Ward to join his group, the Dominoes. With McPhatter as the lead singer, the Dominoes had several hits, such as “Sixty Minute Man” and “Have Mercy Baby”. However, McPhatter was unhappy with Ward’s strict rules and low pay, and left the group in 1953.

He was then approached by Ahmet Ertegun, the founder of Atlantic Records, who wanted to build a new group around him. The result was the Drifters, who became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1950s, with hits like “Money Honey”, “Honey Love”, and “White Christmas”. McPhatter’s gospel-inspired vocals and the group’s innovative arrangements set the standard for doo-wop and R&B. However, McPhatter had to leave the group in 1954, when he was drafted into the army. He continued to record and perform while in the service, and also appeared in a movie, Mister Rock and Roll, in 1957.

Solo Success and Struggles

After his discharge from the army, McPhatter pursued a solo career, hoping to cross over to the pop market. He had some success with songs like “Without Love (There Is Nothing)”, “A Lover’s Question”, and “Lover Please”, but he also faced challenges, such as changing musical tastes, racial discrimination, and contractual disputes. He switched labels several times, from Atlantic to MGM to Mercury, but none of them could revive his fading career. He also became increasingly frustrated and bitter with the music industry and his fans, who he felt had abandoned him. He turned to alcohol to cope with his problems, which affected his health and his relationships. He married and divorced three times, and had four children.

Cause of Death and Legacy

McPhatter died on June 13, 1972, in his sleep, at his home in the Bronx, New York. The cause of death was complications of heart, liver, and kidney disease, brought on by alcohol abuse. He was only 39 years old. He was buried at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey. His grave marker reads: “His voice will live forever”.

McPhatter’s legacy lives on in his music and his influence on other singers. He was one of the first black artists to appeal to both black and white audiences, and he paved the way for soul music and its stars, such as Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Marvin Gaye, and Otis Redding. He was also admired by rock and roll legends, such as Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, as a solo artist, and in 1988, as a member of the Drifters. He was also honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993, and a Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award in 1994.

According to Britannica, McPhatter was “one of the most dramatic vocalists of his generation” and “a key figure in the shaping of doo-wop and R&B”. According to Wikipedia, he was “one of the most widely imitated R&B singers of the 1950s and early 1960s” and his voice was “steeped in the gospel music he sang in much of his early life”. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he was “the most widely influential R&B vocalist of the 1950s” and “the first R&B singer to bring a gospel style into the secular world”. According to the Tombstone Tourist, he was “the R&B pioneer who died too young”.