The Shirelles
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The Shirelles were an influential American girl group in the early 1960s. The members of the quartet were Shirley Owens (who was the lead singer for the most part), Doris Coley, Beverly Lee, and Addie "Micki" Harris. The quartet formed in New Jersey in 1958, and went on to release a string of hits including "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", "Baby It's You", "Soldier Boy", "Dedicated to the One I Love", and "Mama Said". Their "Sha La La" became an international hit when covered by the British group Manfred Mann, and "Boys" was covered by the Beatles (Ringo Starr singing lead). Although they had no more charting hits after 1967, the Shirelles continued recording for a small but devoted audience well into the 1970s and continued to tour and perform into the early 1980s. In 1968, Coley left the group to remarry and raise her family, and the group continued as a trio. In 1975, she returned only to replace Owens who departed to begin a solo career. In 1982, after a live concert in Atlanta, Harris succumbed to a heart attack (age 42); she was replaced by Louie Bethune. Shortly, the group went into semi-retirement, though they did accept an invitation to record backup vocals for Dionne Warwick in the late 1980s. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. On February 4, 2000, Coley lost a battle with breast cancer (age 58). The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.
Discography
Standard albums
- 1961: Tonight's the Night
- 1961: The Shirelles Sing to Trumpets and Strings
- 1962: Baby It's You (US #59)
- 1962: The Shirelles and King Curtis Give a Twist Party (duets album with King Curtis)
- 1963: Foolish Little Girl (US #68)
- 1963: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
- 1967: Spontaneous Combustion
- 1968: Eternally, Soul (duets album with King Curtis)
- 1972: Happy in Love
- 1973: The Shirelles
- 1976: Let's Give Each Other Love
Compilations
- 1963: Greatest Hits (US #19)
- 1964: The Shirelles Sing the Golden Oldies
- 1967: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
- 1972: Remember When
Singles
- 1958: "I Met Him on a Sunday (Ronde Ronde)" (US #49)
- 1959: "Dedicated to the One I Love" (US #83)
- 1960: "Tonight's the Night" (US #39)
- 1961: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (US #1, UK #4)
- 1961: "Dedicated to the One I Love" (US #3; rerelease of 1959 hit)
- 1961: "Mama Said" (US #4)
- 1961: "What a Sweet Thing That Was" (US #54)
- 1961: "A Thing of the Past" (US #41)
- 1961: "Big John" (US #21)
- 1962: "Baby It's You" (US #8)
- 1962: "The Things I Want to Hear (Pretty Words)" (US #107)
- 1962: "Soldier Boy" (US #1, UK #23)
- 1962: "Welcome Home Baby" (US #22)
- 1962: "Stop the Music" (US #36)
- 1962: "It's Love that Really Counts (in the Long Run)" (US #102)
- 1963: "Everybody Loves a Lover" (US #19)
- 1963: "Foolish Little Girl" (US #4, UK #38)
- 1963: "Don't Say Goodnight and Mean Goodbye" (US #26)
- 1963: "Not for All the Money in the World" (US #100)
- 1963: "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (US #92)
- 1963: "31 Flavors" (US #97)
- 1963: "What Does a Girl Do?" (US #53)
- 1964: "Tonight You're Gonna Fall in Love With Me" (US #57)
- 1964: "Sha-La-La" (US #69)
- 1964: "Thank You Baby" (US #63)
- 1964: "Maybe Tonight" (US #88)
- 1965: "Are You Still My Baby" (US #91)
- 1967: "Last Minute Miracle" (US #99)
External link
- Vocal Group Hall of Fame page on The Shirelles (http://www.vghf.com/shirelles.htm)