the Shirelles

the Shirelles, American vocal group popular in the late 1950s and early ’60s, one of the first and most successful so-called “girl groups.” The original members were Addie (“Micki”) Harris (b. January 22, 1940, Passaic, New Jersey, U.S.—d. June 10, 1982, Los Angeles, California), Doris Coley (b. August 2, 1941, Goldsboro, North Carolina, U.S.—d. February 4, 2000, Sacramento, California), Shirley Owens (b. June 10, 1941, Passaic), and Beverly Lee (b. August 3, 1941, Passaic).

The quartet began singing together at high school functions in Passaic, and Florence Greenberg, the mother of one of their classmates, signed them to her own small Tiara label and later to her more ambitious Scepter Records (for which Dionne Warwick also recorded). Unlike most girl groups, the Shirelles wrote some of their own songs, but their biggest hits were written by others—including Brill Building stalwarts Carole King and Gerry Goffin, whose “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (1960) became a pop classic for the Shirelles and the first girl group record to reach number one. “Dedicated to the One I Love,” “Mama Said,” and “Baby It’s You” were all Top Ten hits. Following their most successful song, “Soldier Boy” (1962), cowritten by their principal collaborator, producer Luther Dixon, the Shirelles’ popularity waned—partly because of Dixon’s departure and partly because of the onset of the British Invasion. Ironically, the Beatles recorded two Shirelles songs—“Baby It’s You” and “Boys”—on their debut album. The Shirelles broke up in the late 1960s but re-formed later for “oldies” shows. Remembered for their sweet, gospel-tinged harmonies, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.