Charlie Thomas dead – Drifters legend dies aged 85 after battling liver cancer
thesun.co.ukTHE Drifters singer Charlie Thomas has died at the age of 85 after battling liver cancer. Thomas was part of The Drifters for over 60 years and the lead singer on tunes such as the hit Sweets for My Sweet.
Friend Peter Lemongello Jr confirmed the star died at his home in Bowie, Maryland, on January 31. "He was ageing, but he was active almost every weekend,” he told the New York Times. “Unfortunately, he went from being active to being at home and he started going downhill." Charlie also led the vocals on When My Little Girl Is Smiling in 1962, with the hit reaching number 28 in the charts.
READ MORE ON MUSIC I WANT IT ALL Rock band Queen’s food and booze rider from 1978 world tour up for saleLIFE-CHANGING Blur's Graham Coxon & Rose Elinor Dougall on new band The Waeve's debut album He brought his distinctive tenor voice to songs such as There Goes My Baby, Under The Boardwalk and Up on the Roof.
The Drifters first formed in 1953 but Charlie would not become a member until some years later. In 1959, he was singing with a band called The Five Crowns at a theatre in Harlem and The Drifters were also on the bill.
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