WITH hits such as Come On Over To My Place, Under The Boardwalk, Saturday Night At The Movies and Save The Last Dance For Me, The Drifters back catalogue contains some of the all-time classics of pop and soul.
The Drifters is a brand that has been reshaped and remodelled several times, with more than 65 members in over 62 years. The legacy continues with the current line-up, who continue to tour all over the world and return to Belfast this weekend.
Leading the way is frontman Michael Williams who joined the band 11 years ago. With all that history and the requirement to sing those classic songs comes a huge responsibility, which the Alabama-born singer is all too aware of.
"My parents were big Drifters fans and I got into them when I was little. Of course I feel a great responsibility for carrying the baton for singers like Clyde McPhatter, Bill Fredericks, Ben E King and all those great guys that have gone before me. I'm proud and honoured to be part of it," says the 41-year-old
He admits that occasionally the group watch archive Drifters footage. "Unfortunately there's not a lot of footage of Rudy Lewis or Ben E King as a Drifter. But Butch Leake and Joe Blunt, who were Drifters in the 70s, are still very close friends of ours. It's always fun to see them perform back then. We tease them about their Afros and clothes."
Since Michael joined the group, they have made some new recordings, including five new songs on a recent compilation, Stand By Me – The very best of The Drifters. But he knows that when it comes to the shows, Drifters fans expect the classics.
"If it wasn't for those songs and that period, none of us would be here today. As well as moving with the times musically and rebranding with younger singers, the biggest reasons The Drifters are still popular the world over is the fantastic songs that have been given to us over the years. The songs have a habit of remaining inside people's heads and evoking fond memories."
The recording of Stand By Me this year was a career highlight for Michael, although he regrets that through illness he never had the opportunity to meet or sing with the songs writer Ben E King.
"The song was written for the group back in 1961 but Ben E King left the group before we had a chance to record it. He took the song with him and made it a great classic of course. When the legendary singer passed away this April, the band thought it would be a fitting tribute to record the song in his honour."
:: The Drifters play Belfast's Waterfront Hall on October 23. Tickets from www.waterfront.co.uk. Stand By Me – The Very Best Of The Drifters is out now.
