Monday, June 13, 2011

Carl Gardner, Coasters Founder, R. I. P.

Carl Gardner, who was the last surviving original member of the rhythm-and-blues/rock n' roll vocal group the Coasters, passed away on Sunday night at the Port St. Lucie Hospice in Florida at age 83.

Mr. Gardner, who cofounded the Coasters in 1955 with fellow former Robins vocalist Bobby Nunn, at the behest of producer-songwriters Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller, had been ill for quite some time, having suffered from congestive heart failure and Alzheimer's disease. 

The Coasters posted numerous pop hits in the late 1950s  with comedic oriented tunes penned by Mr. Lieber and Mr. Stoller such as "Searchin'," "Yakety Yak," and "Charlie Brown."

Rest in peace, Carl.

No comments:

Post a Comment