The Raelettes
The Raelettes | |
---|---|
General information | |
Genre (s) | Rhythm & blues , soul , pop |
founding | 1954 (as The Cookies) |
Current occupation | |
Original vocals |
Darlene McCrea, Gwendolyn Berry, Margie Hendrix , Patricia Lyles |
Later members |
Avis Harrell, Madlyne Qubeck, Estella Yarbrough, Trudy Cohran, Pat Peterson, Alexandra 'Alex' Brown, Mable John, Merry Clayton , Clydie King, Minnie Riperton , Susaye Greene |
The Raelettes were a girl group that existed from the 1950s to the 1980s.
history
The Raelettes were formed to work as backing singers for Ray Charles . They emerged from the group The Cookies , which was founded in Brooklyn in 1954 by singers Earl-Jean McCrea, Margie Hendrix and Pat Lyles. Her interaction with Charles involved a palpable sexuality, which was remarkable for the time. When Ray Charles founded the Tangerine label in 1965, they were stars. But the frequent change of personnel let their momentum wither. After some time in which they went on a tour of the Far East as a group independently of Charles, they sang again as his background singers until his death in 2004.
Discography
Albums
- 1970: Souled Out
- 1972: (Ray Charles Presents The) Raeletts, Yesterday ... Today ... Tomorrow
- 1993: The Raelettes, Hits And Rarities
Singles
year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US | R&B | |||
1967 | One Hurt Deserves Another |
US76 (6 weeks) US |
R&B24 (7 weeks) R&B |
|
1968 | I'm gett'n long alright | - |
R&B23 (8 weeks) R&B |
|
I want to thank you | - |
R&B47 (2 weeks) R&B |
||
1970 | I want to (do everything for you) |
US96 (2 weeks) US |
R&B30 (6 weeks) R&B |
|
1971 | Bad water |
US58 (13 weeks) US |
R&B40 (7 weeks) R&B |
More singles
- 1972: Leave My Man Alone
Individual evidence
- ^ The Raelettes at Allmusic.com, accessed June 7, 2010
- ↑ Chart sources: US
- ^ Joel Whitburn : Joel Whitburn presents Hot R&B Songs 1942-2010 . Billboard Books, New York 2011, ISBN 0-89820-186-1 .