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Drifters on their way

Posted on July 24, 2008, 10:10am

One of the original American acts that made some of the most enduring songs of the 50s through to the 70s well-known around the world will perform their string of hits at the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre next weekend.

The Drifters will perform with lead man Billy Washington after being an ongoing musical institution since 1952.

Kelly Auty’s Wild Women Show, featuring songs from the 1920s through to the 1970s, will also join the performance in Mount Gambier as the opening act for the two and a half hour double bill.

Having a string of hits means legend Washington has endured some appalling renditions of his music over the years, particularly in karaoke bars.

Clocking up a string of hits such as Under the Boardwalk, On Broadway and his personal favorite Saturday Night at the Movies, Washington was part of the Drifters when they became a household name.

He auditioned while still in high school at the age of 13, becoming a full-time member of the group.

Now 68, he performs alongside Wayne Foster, who has been a Drifter for 28 years, and Patrick Jackson, who has been with the group 13 years and was previously with The Coasters for more than 25 years.

At the instigation of Atlantic Records, Clyde McPhatter formed the Drifters to record songs such as Up on the Roof and Save the Last Dance for Me, which became timeless classics for the boys, who ranged between 13 and 19 when the group first formed.

Carol King, Burt Bacharach, Phil Spector and Leiber and Stoller all penned Drifters hits and today Washington’s Drifters allows music fans to relive the amazing times again with jokes, dance moves and timeless songs.

The group will be joined by Kelly Auty, who travelled remote country Australia with the Drifters 25 years ago and supported The Platters in Mount Gambier last year.

Her show features hits by Bessie Smith, Billie Holliday, Edith Piaf, Patsy Cline, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and others.

The Drifters will perform at the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre on Saturday, August 2.

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Comments

2 Responses to “Drifters on their way”

  1. Frank maffei on July 27th, 2008 2:55 am 1

    It appears the good people of AU and NZ are victims of a deception. To see whom the Drifters really are See:

    http://home.att.net/~marvy42/Drifters/drifters.html
    http://home.att.net/~uncamarvy/DriftersLate/drifterslate.html
    http://www.answers.com/topic/the-drifters
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Drifters
    http://www.ipo.gov.uk/tm/legal/decisions/2001/o24201.pdf
    http://www.thedrifters.co.uk/whoswho.php

    In the US 27 of the 50 states have passed the Truth in Music Law to stop this kind of identity theft.
    See:

    http://blog.washingtonpost.com/rawfisher/2007/01/exposing_fake_bands_the_truth.html

    If the show is free go see them for you will probably hear a reasonably good imitation of the Drifters but if there’s an admission charge don’t spend your hard-earned money

  2. Dawn Mtandwa on March 12th, 2009 6:41 pm 2

    I have attended the Drifters shows numerous times and my friends and I think they are fantastic. As for you whingers, maybe you should go to Morning Melodies, that may suit you better. They are a fantastic group, fantastic vocalists and I cant see how you could knock them.Billy Washington is one of the original Drifters, just for your information and Wayne Foster has been with the group for just on 30 years. So what are you talking about. Get yr facts straight!!!!!