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From The Times
August 25, 2007
Clarence ‘Tex’ Walker
R&B singer who led the Original Drifters and the Coasters
Clarence “Tex” Walker was a rhythm and blues singer who played a part in the complicated history of two of the greatest black American vocal groups, the Drifters and the Coasters.
Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, he began singing as a child in his local gospel choir and formed his first group with his older brother. After serving in the US Army in Vietnam in the mid1960s, he joined the Original Drifters, led by Bill Pinkney, who had been a founder member in the early 1950s. After the original lineup had been fired and replaced with an entirely new quintet by manager George Tread-well, Pinkney fought a long legal battle to keep the name. By the time Walker joined as lead vocalist, the group’s classic hits such as Money Honey, Up On the Roof and On Broadway were long behind them, but the Original Drifters - who were only one of the touring groups using the name - remained a popular live attraction.
In the 1980s Walker left to become lead singer with the Coasters, who had been the main rival to the Drifters in the 1950s, when they enjoyed hits such as Yakety Yakand Charlie Brown. Like the Drifters, there were several lineups claiming the rights to the legacy of the original Coasters, each of them able to draw healthy audiences.
After touring for several years with a version of the group led by Randy Jones, in 1990 he joined Big Joe Turner’s band, singing on two albums with the group, Big Joe Turner’s Mem-phis Blues Caravanand French Connection, and appearing with them as the support act to B. B. King at the Royal Albert Hall. During the visit Walker fell in love with Britain and settled in Oxfordshire. He formed his own band, the Walker Street Blues Band, with whom he recorded the album Blues in Black and performed regularly on the British blues circuit.
While on a return visit to America in 2004 he suffered heart problems. He was not able to return to Britain until 2007 and had recently resumed playing live again when he suffered a heart attack.
Clarence “Tex” Walker, singer, was born on January 24, 1946. He died on August 8, 2007, aged 61
The Original Drifters toured the UK in the mid to late 60s and I saw them in Prestatyn! Billy Pinkney who was also in the Times obituaries recently was with them, Tex Walker too probably. They sounded great although not knowing anything about the history then I wondered where Clyde McPhatter & Ben E King were. I also met Faye Treadwell who took over from her husband George as manager of the group in Billy Butler's club, the Mardi Gras in Liverpool in the early 70s. A formidable lady who I sensed was likely to be behind the decision to fire the original group and whose personal drive was almost certainly a primary reason why they were incredibly popular for so long.
John Evans, Llandudno, Wales