Bill Pinkney
August 15, 1925 – July 4, 2007
Bill Pinkney is best remembered as a longtime member of the Drifters, one of the premier vocal groups of the doo wop idiom. He was and on-and-off member of the group between 1954 and 1958 and can be heard on such early recordings as “Money Honey,” “Honey Love,” “Maybe Baby,” and “White Christmas.” Unfortunately, Pinkney had left the group by the time they recorded their biggest hits, “Under the Boardwalk” and “Up On The Roof.” In 1958, the group’s manager replaced all the members of the group with new singers after which Pinkney formed the Original Drifters that included members of the early formation of the group. They remained a popular touring act for the better part of the next four decades. In 1988, Pinkney as the Drifters were elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Bill Pinkney was 81 when he suffered a fatal heart attack on July 4, 2007. He and the Drifters were scheduled to perform later that day.