CLYDE MCPHATTER

Clyde McPhatter was a black African American rhythm and blues, soul, and rock and roll singer from the 1950s to the 1970s. He was one of the most widely imitated R&B singers of the 1950s and early 1960s, and was a key figure in the shaping of doo-wop and R&B. He passed away in 1972 at the age of 39 from complications of heart, liver, and kidney disease, brought on by alcohol abuse. McPhatter left a legacy of over 22 years of recording history. He was the first artist to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, first as a solo artist and later as a member of the Drifters.