The Coasters are one of the few artists in rock history to successfully straddle the line between music and comedy. Their undeniably funny lyrics and on-stage antics might have suggested a simple troupe of clowns, but Coasters records are no mere novelties -- their material, supplied by the legendary team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, is too witty, their arrangements too well-crafted, and the group itself too musically proficient. That engaging and infectious combination made them one of the most popular early R&B/rock & roll acts, as well as one of the most consistently entertaining doo wop/vocal groups of all time.

The Coasters grew out of a successful Los Angeles doo wop group called the Robins, which had been recording since 1949 and working with Leiber & Stoller since 1953. Atlantic Records acquired the Robins in 1955, when the Leiber & Stoller composition "Smokey Joe's Cafe" was becoming too big a hit for their small Spark label to handle; its success scored the duo an independent contract with Atlantic as producers and composers. Amid uncertainties over their new major-label arrangement, the Robins split up that fall; lead tenor Carl Gardner (a more recent addition) and bass Bobby Nunn formed a new group, the Coasters (named for their West Coast base), which maintained the Leiber & Stoller association -- an extremely wise move. The initial Coasters lineup was completed by baritone Billy Guy (a gifted comic vocalist) and second tenor Leon Hughes, with guitarist Adolph Jacobs figuring prominently on their recordings through 1959. Their first single, "Down in Mexico," became a Top Ten R&B hit in 1956, epitomizing the sort of humorous story-song Leiber & Stoller were perfecting. The Coasters hit again in 1957 with the double-sided smash "Young Blood"/"Searchin'," both sides of which reached the pop Top Ten. The follow-ups weren't as successful, and it was decided that both the group and Leiber & Stoller would move their operations to New York, where Atlantic was based. As a result, Nunn and Hughes left the group in late 1957, to be replaced respectively by bass Will "Dub" Jones (ex-Cadets, of "Stranded in the Jungle" fame) and second tenor Obie Jessie (who only substituted for Hughes on the "Young Blood" session), then Cornell Gunter (ex-Flairs).

The Coasters' first recording in New York was 1958's "Yakety Yak," which featured King Curtis on tenor sax. Its witty, slice-of-life lyrics about a teenager being hassled by his parents struck a resounding chord, and "Yakety Yak" became the Coasters' first number-one pop hit that summer, topping the R&B charts as well. "Charlie Brown," which cast Jones in the title role of class clown (and immortalized him with the catch-phrase, "why's everybody always pickin' on me?"), hit number two on both the pop and R&B charts in 1959, firmly establishing the Coasters' widespread crossover appeal. More hits followed: the Western-themed "Along Came Jones," "Poison Ivy," "Shoppin' for Clothes," and the group's final Top 30 hit, 1961's burlesque-dancer tribute "Little Egypt."

Following "Little Egypt," Gunter departed, to be replaced by Earl "Speedo" Carroll (of the Cadillacs). Other personnel shifts ensued over the next few years, especially as the hits dried up; even more discouragingly, Leiber & Stoller left Atlantic in 1963. The Coasters parted ways with Atlantic in early 1966, signing with Columbia's Date subsidiary and reuniting with Leiber & Stoller for a time (recording among others "D.W. Washburn"). Although they charted several times, no more hits were forthcoming, given the radically different musical climate; their last chart single was a 1971 cover of "Love Potion Number Nine" (by which time Gardner was the only remaining original member, now supplemented by Jimmy Norman, Earl Carroll, new bass Ronnie Bright, and guitarist Thomas "Curley" Palmer). Since then, numerous different Coasters lineups have toured the oldies circuit (and also have recorded revivals as "The Coasters"); Gardner's holds the legal claim to legitimacy, but Gunter, Guy, Jones, Nunn, and Hughes all led differing lineups at one point or another (as did remnants of their groups after Nunn´s and Gunter´s deaths). Nunn died of a heart attack in 1986, one year before the Coasters became the first vocal group inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Gunter was murdered in Las Vegas in 1990. Jones passed away in early 2000 and Billy Guy died in November 2002.
All Music Guide, Steve Huey - slightly edited by Claus Röhnisch

THE COASTERS
"Those Hoodlum Friends"
- "The Clown Princes of Rock ´N´ Roll" - the pre-eminent vocal group of the original rock ´n´ roll era, and the first to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Originated from the Robins - an R&B vocal group from Los Angeles, who had conquered California since 1949 - and had worked with the young composing/producing team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller during 1954-55 -  when Leiber-Stoller together with manager Lester Sill in September of 1955 decided to launch a professional group in L.A. for Atlantic´s new subsidiary Atco. The two fore-most lead singers (tenor and bass of the Robins) were completed with two new hand-chosen vocalists on the first Coasters records, but the original Coasters line-up only lasted for a couple of years until they re-formed (still with Californians) and moved to New York. They used the best musicians on recordings (especially King Curtis on sax from 1958) and reached international fame in 1959. The group was Leiber-Stoller´s favorite vehicle for their 2-minute play-lets and the group worked with them 1954 - 1963, 1966-1968 and 1971-1972.

Carl Gardner´s debut with the Robins:
Los Angeles, Febr-March, 1954   If Teardrops Were Kisses
- Spark 110, released in February, 1955.
The Coasters recording debut:
Los Angeles,  January 11, 1956   Down In Mexico / Turtle Dovin´
- Atco 6064, released in February, 1956.
Records for: Atco 56-66, Date 66-68, King 71-73.

All of the early members have launched their off-shoot Coasters’ recording groups during later years. Billy Guy has issued records as Billy Guy & The Coasters. There was Bobby Nunn´s Coasters, Mark II - nowadays acting as Billy Richards’ Coasters. Grady Chapman (of the Robins) toured with a "Coasters" group. Leon Hughes called a group The World Famous Coasters. Cornell Gunter’s Fabulous Coasters - still acting with off-spring members as the “original” Cornell Gunter’s Coasters. And if that isn't enough former members of those off-shoots have emnarked new bogus Coasters groups. There also was Will Jones’ World Famous Coasters (which often featured Billy Guy). Guy later semi-coached promoter Larry Marshak’s fake group, nowadays touring in several versions as Cornell Gunter’s Coasters. The true Coasters, though,  are still coached by Carl Gardner (from 2008 touring as Carl Gardner's Coasters with Carl's son Jr as lead singer).

The Robins lineup on Spark 1954-55:
Carl Gardner, lead - debuting with the Robins in Los Angeles February-March, 1954 (Spark); Bobby Nunn, bass (who sang with Little Esther on the Robins’ "Double Crossing Blues" from December, 1949 and was lead of the Robins); "Ty" Terrell Leonard, tenor; Billy and Roy Richard, baritones; and in early 1954 Grady Chapman, second lead.

Original Coasters lineup 1956-57:
Carl Gardner, lead and spokesman for 50 years - still coaching the group (born in Tyler, Texas April 29, 1928); Leon Hughes, tenor (born August 26, 1932); Billy Guy, baritone and recording with the group up to 1972 (born June 20, 1936; died November 5, 2002); Bobby Nunn, bass (born September 20, 1925; died November 5, 1986); and Adolph Jacobs, guitar up into early 1959 (born April 15, 1939).

Famous classic lineup 1958-1961: Gardner; Guy; Cornell Gunter, tenor up to mid 1961 (former lead with the Flairs; born November 14, 1936 in Coffeyville, Kansas. He died from an unknown gun shot in Las Vegas in his car February 26, 1990); Will "Dub" Jones, bass up to 1968 (former lead with the Cadets, born in Shreveport, Louisiana May 14, 1928; died in Long Beach, California on January 16, 2000).

Later recording members:
Earl "Speedo" Carroll, tenor 1961-1979 (born November 2, 1937; leaving from and to the Cadillacs); Ronnie Bright, bass from 1968 (born October 18, 1938; formerly with the Valentines); Jimmy Norman, baritone, first substituting for Guy, then replacing him from 1973 (born August 12, 1937; formerly with Jesse Belvin and acting as solo artist); Thomas "Curley" Palmer, guitar from 1962 (born August 15, 1929).

Lineup 1980-1997:
Gardner, Bright, Norman, Palmer.
 
Current lineup from 1998:
Gardner, Bright, Palmer; and Alvin Morse, baritone (born February 1951, member up to September 2008, replaced by Primotivo Candelara); Carl Gardner Jr, tenor (born April 29, 1955 - absent July 2001 - November 2004); J.W. Lance, tenor from 2001 (born June 16, 1949). In November, 2005 Gardner Jr officially took over from his father as lead singer of the Coasters, with all staying.

Essential CD:  The Very Best of... - Rhino R2 71597.
Reading: “Yakety Yak I Fought Back: My Life With The Coasters” by Carl Gardner with Veta Gardner (AuthorHouse 2007).
“The Coasters” by Bill Millar (Star Books, UK 1975).