Clarence ‘Tex’ Walker A Drifter In The Blues - Live

Clarence "Tex" Walker was a Rhythm and Blues singer who played a part in the complicated history of two of the greatest 20th century black American vocal group dynasties, The Drifters and The Coasters. On his return in 1968 after serving in the US Army in Vietnam he joined as lead singer with Bill Pinkney's Original Drifters. This group did the 1971 recordings on Game Records of "Ol' Man River" and "Millionaire". Clarence made his first appearance as a Drifter on The Ed Sullivan Show at a time when they were appearing on the same shows as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Ike and Tina Turner. Later after leaving The Drifters to raise his family and on a recommendation from Bill Pinkney, Clarence joined The Coasters replacing Cornell Gunter. With a versatile and easy singing style, he was equally comfortable with rhythm & blues, blues and gospel which with his Walker Street Band, he showcased perfectly in 1999. In an intimate club atmosphere, he showed that he had lost none of his touch as a natural entertainer. As with many of the artists documented by Blues Archive, this is probably the only recorded live performance of Clarence 'Tex' Walker doing what he did best.