|
The Coasters
| |
|
| |
|
Miami Vice Performer
|
|
|
Active
|
1955-present
|
|
Original Members
|
Carl Gardner
Billy Guy Will "Dub" Jones Cornelius Gunter |
The Coasters are an American R&B/Rock group whose song "Poison Ivy" appeared in the episode "Golden Triangle (Part II)" of the series Miami Vice.
The Coasters were formed in 1955 out of an old group, The Robins. The core group consisted of Carl Gardner (1928-2011), Billy Guy (1926-2002), Will "Dub" Jones (1928-2000), and Cornelius Gunter (1936-1990). Many of their classic hits were "story-songs", songs that told a story, and those included "Yakety Yak" (their only #1 Billboard Hot 100 single and featured the "fifth Coaster", King Curtis (1934-1971), on sax), "Charlie Brown", and "Poison Ivy", the latter was the group's final Top 10 Rock single. Changing music tastes and lineup changes ended the group's chart success in the 1960s, but the group still tours occasionally, though with a completely different lineup (Gardner's son, Carl Gardner Jr. took the reins, all of the other members have passed on) and appears on PBS "oldies" shows. The "classic" lineup (Gardner Sr, Guy, Jones and Gunter) were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.