The legacy of The Coasters goes back to the very beginning of rock 'n' roll. As one of the biggest groups of the first wave of rock 'n' roll in the mid '50s, they helped define a huge swath of the American musical identity, both on record and on stage. On such timeless smashes as "Young Blood," "Searchin'," "Yakety Yak," "Charlie Brown," and "Poison Ivy," they combined raw, unfettered energy with an infectious sense of humor and a well honed stagecraft. They were known for sophisticated synchronization of both their moves and their vocals. And the sound of The Coasters remains to this day — the group led by '50s member Cornell Gunter until his death in 1990 continues to tour, often appearing alongside legendary peers like The Platters and The Drifters. And the current version of The Cornell Gunter Coasters still gives modern-day audiences a taste of the excitement and electricity that was in the air back when rock 'n' roll was born.

The Cornell Gunter Coasters Background

The Coasters first came to life in 1955 as an offshoot of the West coast R&B group The Robins. Carl Gardner and Bobby Nunn of The Robins were brought to New York by the iconic production/songwriting team of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. Billy Guy, Leon Hughes, and guitarist Adolph Jacobs completed the first lineup, though the personnel would shift several times over the years. The Coasters were a success straight out of the gate with their debut single, 1956's "Down in Mexico," and their feisty vocal power with Lieber & Stoller's often humor-filled tunes became their signature mix. That combination continued to serve The Coasters well as they charted some of the biggest, most memorable hits of the first rock 'n' roll era, like "Yakety Yak," "Poison Ivy," "Charlie Brown," and Searchin'." Cornell Gunter was a part of the group during a crucial period in their history, appearing on their late '50s and early '60s hits, and he went on to lead the touring version of the band, dubbed The Cornell Gunter Coasters. Although he passed away in 1990, the group continues to carry the rock 'n' roll torch forward under his name.