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'50s and '60s Bands Aim to Stop Copycats

Imposter Rock Groups Taking Business Away From Originals

By SUSAN HAIGH, AP

HARTFORD, Conn. (Feb. 24) - Doo-wop and rock 'n roll legends are asking lawmakers across the country to stop performances by some not-so-great pretenders.

There are hundreds of bands touring the country these days claiming to be The Platters, the Drifters, the Coasters or some other group from the '50s and '60s, according to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in Sharon, Pa.

Most of them have no ties to the original artists.

"They undercut the legacy of those artists by pretending to be them," said Jon "Bowzer" Bauman, former member of the oldies band Sha Na Na and head of the hall's Truth in Music Committee.

"Almost worst of all is the way in which they steal the applause from the great veterans and pioneers that crafted rock 'n' roll music back in the 50s and early 60s," he said.

The Hall of Fame is working with numerous states to pass "Truth in Music" legislation. It would allow state attorneys general to stop an impostor band performance with an injunction and seek civil penalties of up to $15,000 against impostor bands and those who promote them.

Earlier this week, Pennsylvania's governor signed a bill into law. South Carolina and North Dakota now have comparable laws on the books. Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Illinois, California, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Nevada and Missouri are debating the issue or are expected to take it up soon.

To be considered bona fide under the legislation, a band must include at least one member of the original recording group. Tribute bands would not be affected.

Carl Gardner, 77, the last surviving member of The Coasters, said he hopes all 50 states pass such laws and he can get his livelihood back.

"If they can get every state in the union to sign these papers, they'll never be able to work again and I'll be able to get all my jobs back," said Gardner, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "They've cut into my business awfully bad and everybody who is affiliated, it hurts everybody."

Gardner, who is semiretired, said he typically charges $10,000 a gig. He said the phony Coasters charge only $1,000 and often perform badly - which he said tarnishes his reputation.

Maxine Porter, longtime manager for Bill Pinkney, the last surviving original member of The Drifters, estimates Pinkney has spent tens of thousands of dollars trying to fight the impostors. But, she said, every time one is shut down, another one pops onto the scene.

She also said the knockoffs have hurt Pinkney's earning potential. The 80-year-old member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame still performs.

Mary Wilson, an original member of the Supremes, said she knows of some original acts that can't get hired in Las Vegas. The venues would rather hire the knockoff bands because they're less expensive, she said.

"They're taking our history but they don't have our DNA," she said. "It really is a form of identity theft. It really is."

02/24/06 14:47 EST

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From: Linda Ketron <linda@classatpawleys.com>

Sent: Oct 29, 2005 6:19 AM

To: Harry Turner <harryt789@earthlink.net>

Subject: The Orioles and The Velons at the Pawleys Island Festival October 28 - That Magic Moment!

Di-vine, Su-blime, So Fine!

What a terrific program.

I can't thank you enough for sharing these musical treasures with us all. It was amazing to be up close and recognize the ages on these men, the miles they've driven, the years of songs they've sung, and still they delivered with clear voices, deep emotions, and ENERGY! From our table they looked to be "our" age; at the stage you could tell they were older, but still so supple and just great! In those last few songs, I was looking into the faces of people from

this community that I see every day and have never connected with. But we connected last night, and I'll never "not see them" again.

Thank you, Harry, for last night. For the bands and sharing the stage! For the dances and the hugs! And just the whole retro-magic!

Linda

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BMAI Katrina Relief Fund

The Beach Music Association International (BMAI) has established a fund to help the victims of hurricane Katrina. Elaine Galloway, a BMAI board member, will be the primary contact for donations to the fund. Elaine can be reached at 864-226-0503 or via e-mail at Egalloway@charter.net

All donation checks should be made payable to "BMAI Disaster Relief Fund" and sent to Elaine Galloway. 509 Estes Drive, Anderson, SC 29621.

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Sanford proclaims Monday Aug. 15th Bill Pinkney Day

Gov. Mark Sanford has proclaimed today Bill Pinkney Day. Pinkney, a South Carolina native and an R&B legend from his career with the Driters, turns 80 today. Pinkney will celebrate his birthday at the Clarion Town House Hotel at 6:30 tonight. The hotel is at 1615 Gervais St. Tickets are $10. For more information, call (864) 226-0503.

 

    

Original Drifter Bill Pinkney Turns 80

Tue Aug 16, 1:57 PM ET

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Bill Pinkney relished the shuffle and slide steps of beach music fans on a parquet floor as they helped celebrate his 80th birthday.

"I hope that I live to be 100 years old," Pinkney, one of the original members of The Drifters, said as he blew out an "80" candle on his birthday cake Monday.

Beach music is a distinctive brand of rhythm and blues associated with shag dancing and the Carolinas.

The music the Dalzell native's band helped launch is South Carolina's official "popular music." The shag is the state's dance.

Bringing people together is the enduring thing about this music, said Pinkney.

"A lot of people have come up to me and said, `Bill, it's your music that kept me and my wife together' or `we got married on your music because of such and such a song. And we're still together,'" he said.

The Drifters' hits include "Money Honey," "Honey Love," "Under the Boardwalk" and "Save the Last Dance for Me."

Pinkney left the band in 1958 in a rift over cash.

 

Beat goes on for 1950s doo-wop legend

Vocalist with The Drifters celebrates with family and friends

By OTIS R. TAYLOR JR.
Staff Writer
80th birthday bash

Bill Pinkney, one of the voices in The Drifters, the R&B and doo-wop group that went to the top of the charts in the 1950s, turned 80 Monday.

Family, friends and musicians came out to celebrate with the South Carolina legend.

The Clarion Town House hotel was packed as sounds of the beach wafted out of the ballroom and into the hallway.

Like the music, Pinkney was everywhere. A handshake here, a pat on the arm there, Pinkney was always smiling.

And he can still blow. Have you heard Pinkney’s version of "America the Beautiful"?

Here are the top 10 hits from Pinkney’s birthday party.

1. How fresh is Pinkney? He started the night in a tan suit, but before he blew out the candles on the cake, he changed into a white suit. That’s so dapper and so clean.

2. Joe Pinner, who shared master-of-ceremonies duties with Harry Turner, president of Beach Music Association International, gave Pinkney the night’s best compliment.

"Here’s the man himself," Pinner said. "And that’s real hair."

3. Bands make parties better. The Footnotes kicked off the evening before others such as Clay Brown, Dixie Humming Birds and Caesar performed.

4. Pinkney’s birthday wish? "I hope to live to be 100 years old," he said. With the way he was coasting around the party, that shouldn’t be a problem.

5. Pinkney must’ve shaken every hand and smiled for more than 250 pictures. Now that’s working a room.

6. Where’s the beef? There was plenty as hot dogs and chips were the main dish. It looked like a catered cookout.

7. Pinner told one of the night’s best jokes. "Got a lot of media here, so make sure you’re with the person you’re supposed to be with," he said. He added, "I see a lot of people moving around."

8. How many parties have vacation raffles? A stay at Myrtle Beach’s Cherry Grove was up for grabs.

9. The Clarion Town House hotel ballroom is the perfect place to host a party. Especially when it’s standing room only. Good choice, Bill.

10. With all the R&B and beach music, you know the shaggers couldn’t resist. And what’s a party without a little dancing?

Reach Taylor at (803) 771-8362 or otaylor@thestate.com.

 

Last original Drifters member turns 80

(Columbia-AP) Aug. 15, 2005 - Beach music fans gathered in Columbia Monday night to help Bill Pinkney celebrate his 80th birthday.

Pinkney is the last living member of the original Drifters.

After he blew out his candles Pinkney said he hopes to live to a hundred.

The music the Dalzell native's band helped launch likely will endure longer. It's already a part of state law, with beach music South Carolina's official "popular music" and the shag the state's dance.

Pinkney left the band in 1958 in a rift over cash.

The Drifters produced several memorable tunes "Under the Boardwalk" and "Save the Last Dance for Me."

The band's version of "White Christmas" was part of the 1991 sound track of "Home Alone."

Pinkney says bringing people together is an enduring thing about the band's music. He says people have come up to him and told him they got married after coming together with Drifters' tunes.

Posted 10:55pm by Chantelle Janelle

 

Home-grown celebrities return to their Palmetto state roots, fans

(Columbia) Aug. 15, 2005 - South Carolina is known for its peaches, Palmetto trees, and humidity. But we are also known for a few local celebrities making a name for themselves.

At Manifest Records, eager fans crowded together for just a glimpse at South Carolina's most popular band. Hootie and the Blowfish have made a worldwide name for themselves, but say they'll always remember their humble beginnings on Midlands stages.

Darius Rucker says, "From playing Papa's to playing frat houses we played every bar in Columbia. It all started here."

With a new cd out, fans were there to meet and greet the band. Hootie says their success in South Carolina is actually more important than national recognition. Dean Felber says, "The fans are so good around here and they've always been, South Carolina been here since the get go and nothing has changed."

Darius says, "For us the success was just so we could look better here, it was never a thought anybody would move out of South Carolina."

While Hootie and the Blowfish are trying to plunge back into the music scene with their new cd, one South Carolina legend is celebrating a land mark.

For more than half a century, original drifter Bill Pinkney has been serenading people all over the world. At the Clarion Town house Monday, the Sumter County native is having a party, a birthday party.

And it's a happy one, "I feel like I'm born again and I've never been 80 before. It's all brand new. God has been good to me."

And Pinkney has been good for the state. His group, The Drifters, are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They're best known for hits like "Under the Boardwalk and "Up on the Roof." The band's version of "White Christmas" was part of the 1991 sound track of "Home Alone."

The music the Dalzell native's band helped launch likely will endure longer. It's already a part of state law, with beach music South Carolina's official "popular music" and the shag the state's dance.

Pinkney says bringing people together is an enduring thing about the band's music. He says people have come up to him and told him they got married after coming together with Drifters' tunes.

But even after all Pinkney's global success, he still calls South Carolina home, "I've traveled all over the world you heard of it I've been there, but there's no place like home I'm a stone Carolinan."

And it seems for Hootie, being home is just as important. Darius says, "We could live wherever we want and go wherever we want and everybody wanted to live in South Carolina. So that's where we still are; it's home. It's what we are. It's who we are."

Reported by Tamara King with AP

Posted 11:15pm by Chantelle Janelle