Clyde McPhatter Totally Explained

Everything about Clyde Mcphatter totally explained

Clyde McPhatter (November 15, 1932, Durham, North Carolina – June 13, 1972) was an influential Afro American R&B singer.

Life and career

McPhatter was raised in a religious Baptist family, and formed a gospel group in 1945 after his family moved to New Jersey. They soon relocated to New York City, and McPhatter joined the Mount Lebanon Singers, a popular gospel group.
   In 1950, McPhatter joined Billy Ward & the Dominoes, and was present for the recording of "Sixty Minute Man" for Federal Records and produced by Ralph Bass, which was a huge hit in 1951, and was one of the earliest rock and roll records. After several more hits, including "Have Mercy Baby", McPhatter quit the group in 1953 because he made little money and gained virtually no fame, in spite of his voice being the lead on most of the group's songs. McPhatter then signed to Atlantic Records after forming a group, The Drifters. "Money Honey", "Such a Night", "Honey Love", "White Christmas" and "Whatcha Gonna Do" became huge hits.
   In 1954, McPhatter was drafted but was assigned in the U.S., allowing him to continue recording. He soon left The Drifters and launched a solo career. His first solo hit occurred just after being discharged - "Love Has Joined Us Together" (with Ruth Brown). He released several R&B hits in the next few years, but made only one serious dent in the pop charts, with the Brook Benton-penned song "A Lover's Question", which made it to #6 in 1958. White groups usually covered his best compositions and achieved more widespread mainstream success. In spite of this, McPhatter became one of the most popular black musicians among white listeners. His 1956 recording "Treasure of Love" saw him enjoy his first solo #1 on the R&B charts and one week in the UK singles chart. The lack of any subsequent entry gave him the unenviable tag there of being a one hit wonder McPhatter soon signed to MGM Records, and released several more hits. "I Told Myself a Lie" and "Think Me a Kiss" (1960) became minor pop hits, as was "Ta Ta", his first single for Mercury Records. "I Never Knew" and "Lover Please" (1962) became even bigger pop hits, but his career started suffering due to his alcoholism. Other black artists were following McPhatter's blueprint into pop audiences, including Rudy Lewis, Johnny Moore, Sam Cooke, and an all-new lineup of The Drifters. McPhatter's unreliability kept him from maintaining his career in the face of this competition. As the 1960s wore on, McPhatter's career kept falling in spite of a few minor hits.
   In the late 1960s, McPhatter spent some time living in England, where he still had a significant audience, but this was short-lived. Back again in America, Clyde McPhatter died of complications of heart, liver, and kidney disease, and was buried at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey.

Legacy and honors

In 1987 was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
   The Rockabilly Hall of Fame recognized his pioneering efforts.
   The Original Drifters were inducted in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
   The United States Postal Service issued a stamp in his honor in 1993.
   The song "Money Honey" (1953) was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

Singles

Title	Peak Pop Billboard ranking	Peak R&B Billboard ranking	Year	Label
Love Has Joined Us Together /I Gotta Have You (with Ruth Brown)	-	8	1955	Atlantic
Seven Days	44	2	1956	Atlantic
Treasure of Love	16	1		Atlantic
Without Love (There Is Nothing)	19	4	1957
Just To Hold My Hand	26	6
Thirty Days	-	-
Long Lonely Nights	49	1
Rock and Cry	93	-
Come What May	43	3	1958
A Lover's Question	6	1	1958
Lovey Dovey	49	12	1959	Atlantic
I Told Myself a Lie	70		1959	MGM
Since You've Been Gone	39	14	1959	Atlantic
Twice As Nice	91		1959	MGM
You Went Back On Your Word	72	13	1959	Atlantic
Let's Try Again	48	13	1959	MGM
Just Give Me a Ring	96		1960	Atlantic
Deep Sea Ball / Let the Boogie-Woogie Roll	-	-		Atlantic
Think Me a Kiss	66		1960	MGM
Ta Ta (Just Like a Baby)	23	7	1960	Mercury
This Is Not Goodbye / One Right After Another	-	-	1960	MGM
Tomorrow Is a-Comin	103	-	1961	Mercury
I'll Love You Til the Cows Come Home	110	-
A Whole Heap Of Love	-	-
I Never Knew	56	17	1961
Same Time Same Place	-	-	1961
Lover Please	7	-	1962
Little Bitty Pretty One	25	-	1962
Maybe / I Do Believe	-	-
The Best Man Cried	118	-
From One To One	127	-	1963
Deep In the Heart of Harlem	90	90	1963
Second Window, Second Floor	-	-	1964
Baby Baby / Lucille	-	-	1964
Crying Won't Help You Now	117	22	1965
A Shot Of Rhythm and Blues / I'm Not Going To Work Today	-	-	1966	Amy
Sweet and Innocent / Lavender Lace	-	-	1967	Amy
Baby You Got It	-	-	1968	Deram
I'll Belong To You /Book Of Memories	-	-	1970	Decca
Why Can't We Get Together / Mixed Up Cup	-	-	1970	Decca

No album he recorded ever appeared on the charts, even though all sold fairly well, because there were fewer chart positions in his day than now.

Music sample

Come What May:

Further Information

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