The Raelettes

Ray Charles & The Raelettes
Origin United States
Genres R&B, pop, soul
Occupation(s) Girl group
Years active 1950s–1990s
Labels Tangerine/ABC-Paramount
Associated acts Ray Charles
Past members Mary Ann Fisher
Darlene McCrea
Margie Hendricks
Clydie King
Patricia Lyles
Rita Graham
Beverly LeSure
Gwendolyn Berry
Merry Clayton
Mable John
Alexandra Brown
Susaye Greene
Vernita Moss
Dorothy Berry
Avis Harrell
Madelyn Quebeck
Brianna Perry-Tucker
Estella Yarbrough
Cynthia Scott
Trudy Cohran
Pat Peterson
 Janice Mitchell
Kay Nickerson
Renee Collins Georges
Tammy McCann
Tonett McKinney
Karen Evans
Regi Brown
Paula Moye
Angela Workman
Tracey Whitney
Barbara Franklin-Perrault[1]

The Raelettes (or occasionally The Raelets or The Raeletts) were an American girl group from the 1950s–1990s, formed, as their name suggests, to provide backing vocals for Ray Charles. Separate from Charles, the Raelettes had a number of pop and R&B hits, although they never gained fame for their singles. Several members later went on to solo careers.

History

Before becoming the Raelettes, the group was known as the Cookies. Its membership originally consisted of Darlene McCrea, Margie Hendricks, Patricia Lyles, and Gwendolyn Berry. Of Hendricks, Ray Charles said, "Aretha, Gladys, Etta James—these gals are all bad, but on any given night, Margie will scare you to death."

Later members included Mable John, Merry Clayton, Clydie King, Minnie Riperton, Susaye Greene, Dorothy Berry, Beverly LeSure and Rita Graham. Graham recorded the album Rita Graham Vibrations, produced by Ray Charles on his Tangerine label, the only major recording production Charles produced for a single female artist on that label.

The 1980s set of Raelettes included Avis Harrell, Madlyne Qubeck, Estella Yarbrough, Trudy Cohran, Janice Mitchell, Pat Peterson and Alexandra "Alex" Brown, who had a minor hit with the single "(Come On,) Shout", which was featured on the soundtrack of the movie Girls Just Want to Have Fun.

The 1990s set of Raelettes included Paula Moye, Angela Workman and Tracey Whitney.

Singles

References

  1. Sister of Ermant Franklin (Mighty Clouds of Joy co-founder)

External links


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