The Drifters’ Charlie Thomas dies aged 85
Charlie Thomas, the longstanding vocalist with The Drifters, has died aged 85 after a battle with liver cancer.
Thomas died on January 31st; however, news of his death has only just been confirmed by his friend Peter Lemongello Jr. who informed The New York Times. Lemongello revealed his death was a result of liver cancer, and until recently, Thomas was in strong health. “He was ageing, but he was active almost every weekend,” he revealed. “Unfortunately, he went from being active to being at home, and he started going downhill.”
The late musician joined The Drifters in 1958 and wasn’t a founding member of the group. However, he did sing on various hits for the band, including ‘There Goes My Baby’, ‘Under The Boardwalk’ and ‘Up on the Roof’. His opportunity to join the band was fortunate, as The Drifters’ first manager, George Treadwell, fired all members of the original group for getting drunken behaviour towards New York Apollo owner Mary Goldberg and replaced them with Thomas’ band, the Five Crowns.
After initially leaving the group in 1967, Thomas returned to The Drifters in 1988 and remained with the band until his death. He is survived by his wife, Rita Thomas, and his two daughters, Crystal Thomas Wilson and Victoria Green. Thomas also leaves behind his three sons, Charlie ‘Happy’ Thomas Jr., Michael Sidbury and Brian Godfrey.
Thomas was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 with The Drifters, and they have paid tribute to his death on Twitter. The Rock Hall wrote: “Charlie Thomas’ elegant tenor vocals helped bridge gospel with R&B and blues and laid the foundation for 1960s soul music. His work with The Drifters ushered in a golden age of enduring hits like ‘There Goes My Baby,’ ‘Sweets for My Sweet,’ ‘When My Little Girl Is Smiling,’ and ‘Save the Last Dance for Me.’ Charlie Thomas’ suave, sophisticated voice elevated everyday joys and loves, striking a universal chord in listeners everywhere.”
Meanwhile, singer Gary U.S. Bonds has also paid tribute to Thomas and posted on Twitter: “Sadly, we lost another good friend today, Charlie Thomas of the Drifters. Rest in peace, Charlie. We will miss you”.
Additionally, bassist Ivan Funkboy Bodley posted: “Rest well, sweet Charlie Thomas (The Drifters), R&R Hall of Famer, cherished friend. Yeats ago, he said, ‘Remember, Ivan, wherever you go in this world, you’ve got Charlie Thomas with you’. It stayed with me ever since. He was right. I will always have Charlie Thomas with me.”
Listen below to ‘There Goes My Baby’.
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