Charlie Thomas was born in Virginia in 1937 (Picture: WireImage)
The Drifters singer Charlie Thomas has died at the age of 85 from liver cancer.
Thomas was best known for his work with the legendary vocal group, performing on hits such as Sweets for My Sweet and When My Little Girl is smiling.
The performer’s friend and singer Peter Lemongello Jr confirmed his death after a battle with the disease to The New York Times.
Thomas died on January 31 at his home in Bowie, Maryland, Lemongello said.
He added: ‘[Thomas] was aging, but he was active almost every weekend.
‘Unfortunately, he went from being active to being at home and he started going downhill.’
Charlie Thomas performed with the iconic group The Drifters (Picture: Getty Images)
Thomas was born on April, 7, 1937 in Lynchburg, Virginia and started his music career in The Five Crowns.
While performing with the group, at the Apollo Theater in 1958, he was recruited by music manager George Treadwell into The Drifters with his fellow bandmates.
Their first release was the 1959 hit There Goes My Baby and they went on to release singles such as Under the Boardwalk and This Magic Moment.
Charlie Thomas started performing with The Five Crowns (Picture: Getty Images)
The Drifters’ other hits include On Broadway and Saturday Night at the movies, with Save the Last Dance for Me being their only song to reach number one in the US charts.
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Thomas was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 as a member of the Drifters and was given a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1999.
The musician is survived by his wife, Rita Thomas. his daughters, Crystal Thomas Wilson and Victoria Green; his sons, Charlie Jr, Michael Sidbury and Brian Godfrey, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
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Thomas performed on hits including Sweets for My Sweet
