Bill Pinkney left a legacy of great music for the world through his work with the legendary Drifters, but he also left a tangible gift for music fans to remember him by at the South Carolina State Museum.
The singer, who passed away July 4, donated to the museum a tuxedo which he wore at his induction, along with the other original Drifters, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio on June 7, 1993. The museum will exhibit his tuxedo jacket, shirt and shoes through Sept. 3.
Bass singer Pinkney was a member of the original Drifters between 1953 and 1958. In their first two years, The Drifters had four Top 10 hits, "Money Honey," "Bip Bam," "Honey Love" and Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." In 1955 The Drifters had three Top 10 hits: "Adorable," "Steamboat" and "Whatcha Gonna Do." Another hit was "Fools Fall in Love."
Pinkney was not with the group when it recorded most of its top-selling records like "Save the Last Dance for Me" and "Under the Boardwalk." His voice can be heard singing lead on the biggest-selling Drifters song of all time, "White Christmas." The popular 1954 recording was featured in the movie "Home Alone."
"The group disbanded in 1958, but it was periodically reorganized with new members over the last 40 years," said State Museum Curator of History Elaine Nichols. "Pinkney continued to perform with his own group, Bill Pinkney's Original Drifters, doing about 200 concerts a year."
Pinkney was a decorated veteran of World War II and received a Presidential Citation with four Bronze Stars. During the late 1940s and early 1950s he was a pitcher for the New York Blue Sox of the Negro Baseball League. In May 1993 the State of South Carolina awarded him its highest civilian honor, the Order of the Palmetto.
"Bill Pinkney was an icon of American music, and we're proud that he chose to reside in his home state of South Carolina," said Nichols. "We're also proud to be able to preserve a piece of his legacy at the State Museum for the enrichment of future generations."
Legendary Drifters singer Bill Pinkney wore this tuxedo jacket, shirt and shoes at his induction, along with the other original Drifters, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio on June 7, 1993. These items can be seen on exhibit at the South Carolina State Museum through Sept. 3.
Photo by Susan Dugan/courtesy S.C. State Museum.