 In early 1953, McPhatter left to form his own group, the Drifters.His replacement in the Dominoes was Jackie Wilson, who had been coached by McPhatter while also singing with the group on tour.Lamont and McNeil also left and were replaced by Milton Merle and Cliff Givens (Givens had been in the Southern Sons Gospel Quartet; he joined the Ink Spots in 1944 upon the death of original bass Orville "Hoppy" Jones).