06/02/2026
First two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honoree and Durham native Clyde McPhatter began his singing career as a 5-year-old in the Baptist church pastored by his father. In the Bull City he stayed until he was 13 when Rev. George McPhatter and wife Beulah moved to New Jersey. Soon after, McPhatter won “Amateur Night” at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, and a legend was born.
He soon joined 1950s powerhouse Rhythm and Blues group the Dominoes, where his vocals on hits such as “Sixty Minute Man” and “Have Mercy Baby” helped make doo-wop a national sensation. Later, McPhatter joined The Drifters and record chart success with hits like “Money Honey.” After a stint in the military in the mid-50s, McPhatter enjoyed a solo career with hits such as “A Lover’s Question” and “Treasure of Love” until his passing in 1972.
He was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1987 and with The Drifters a year later, to become the first person elected more than once. That group is now 27 strong and sometimes referred to as “The Clyde McPhatter Club.” He is also a 2009 inductee to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.
On Saturday, June 6, Durham County Library, the Stanford L. Warren Branch Library, Preservation Durham, and the Museum of Durham History will host “Have Mercy Baby: The Life of Clyde McPhatter,” an author talk with McPhatter biographer Steve Bergsman, Debbie McPhatter, the singer’s daughter, and music journalist Howard Burchette. The free event will run from 2 – 4 p.m. at SLW, located at 1201 Fayetteville Street in downtown Durham.
No registration required for this FREE event. There will be a book signing with the author, facilitated by Letters Book Shop with the author will take place following the event.
