Background
Gardner was born in Tyler, Texas, to Rebecca and Robert Gardner.
singer founder of The Coasters
Gardner was born in Tyler, Texas, to Rebecca and Robert Gardner.
Known for the 1958 song "Yakety Yak", which spent a week as number one on the Hot 100 popular list, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. 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". 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".
Gardner"s son, Carl Junior., officially joined the Coasters in late 2005, after Gardner semi-retired, although Carl Junior. 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, Senior died on June 12, 2011, after suffering with congestive heart failure and vascular dementia (according to the Coasters website). Carl, Junior., took over as lead singer, but was fired by Veta Gardner.
Together Carl Junior. and Thomas (Curly) Palmer vowed to keep the legacy alive by "The Coasters featuring Carl Gardner Junior.
And Thomas Curly Palmer The legacy continuous". Carl Junior and Thomas Palmer both recorded with The Coasters before Carl Senior death. Veta Gardner, Carl"s widow, manages her group, which contains no original or recording members.
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.