Carl Gardner

Carl Gardner
Birth name Carl Edward Gardner
Born (1928-04-29)April 29, 1928
Tyler, Texas, United States
Died June 12, 2011(2011-06-12) (aged 83)
Port St. Lucie, Florida, United States
Occupation(s) Singer
Associated acts

Carl Edward Gardner (April 29, 1928 – June 12, 2011) was an American singer, best known as the foremost member and founder of The Coasters. Known for the 1958 song "Yakety Yak", which spent a week as number one on the Hot 100 pop list, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

Life and career

Gardner was born in Tyler, Texas, to Rebecca and Robert Gardner.[1] As a singer, his first major career success came with The Robins, a rhythm and blues group that had a big hit in 1955, "Smokey Joe's Café".[1]

After leaving that group, in 1956 Gardner formed the Coasters with the Robins' bass singer Bobby Nunn, Leon Hughes and Billy Guy, at the behest of the songwriting/producing team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and had a two-sided hit in 1957, "Youngblood" (on which Gardner sang lead) and "Searchin'". With new members Cornel Gunter and Will "Dub" Jones, the Coasters went on to produce several enduring classics of 1950s rock and roll music including "Yakety Yak", "Charlie Brown", and "Poison Ivy".[1]

Together with the other members of the Coasters – Cornell Gunter, Billy Guy and Will "Dub" Jones – Gardner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.[2]

Gardner's son, Carl Jr., officially joined the Coasters in late 2005, after Gardner semi-retired, although Carl Jr. had been touring with them since at least 1998. His father officially made him a member to carry on his group as the lead singer.


Carl Gardner, Sr. died on June 12, 2011, after suffering with congestive heart failure and vascular dementia (according to the Coasters website).[3] Carl, Jr., took over as lead singer, but was fired by Veta Gardner. Together Carl Jr. and Thomas (Curly) Palmer vowed to keep the legacy alive by "The Coasters featuring Carl Gardner Jr. And Thomas Curly Palmer The legacy continuous". Carl Jr and Thomas Palmer both recorded with The Coasters before Carl Sr death. That's what Carl Sr. wanted from his son to always keep his group alive. Veta Gardner, Carl's widow, manages her group, which contains no original or recording members.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bruce Weber (June 13, 2011). "Carl Gardner, Singer With Coasters Pop Group, Dies at 83". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  2. ↑ "The Coasters". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  3. ↑ "Coasters singer Carl Gardner dies aged 83". BBC News. June 14, 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2011.

Further reading

External links

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