The Shirelles in 1962; clockwise from top: Addie Harris, Shirley Owens, Beverly Lee, and Doris Coley
Background information
Also known as
The Poquellos
Shirley & the Shirelles
Origin
Passaic, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
R&B
doo-wop
pop
soul
rock
Years active
1957–1982
Labels
Tiara
Decca
Scepter
Bell
RCA
Top Rank
Stateside
Pye International
Past members
Shirley Owens
Doris Coley
Addie Harris
Beverly Lee
The Shirelles were an American girl group formed in Passaic, New Jersey in 1957. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens (later Shirley Alston Reeves), Doris Coley (later Doris Kenner-Jackson), Addie "Micki" Harris (later Addie Harris McFadden), and Beverly Lee.
Founded in 1957 for a talent show at their high school, they were signed by Florence Greenberg of Tiara Records. Their first single, "I Met Him on a Sunday", was released by Tiara and licensed by Decca Records in 1958. After a brief and unsuccessful period with Decca, they went with Greenberg to her newly formed company, Scepter Records. Working with Luther Dixon, the group rose to fame with "Tonight's the Night". After a successful period of collaboration with Dixon and promotion by Scepter, with seven top 20 hits, the Shirelles left Scepter in 1966. Afterwards, they were unable to maintain their previous popularity.
The Shirelles have been described as having a "naive schoolgirl sound" that contrasted with the sexual themes of many of their songs. Several of their hits used strings and featured the influence of Brazilian baião music. They have been credited with launching the girl group genre, with much of their music reflecting the genre's essence. Their acceptance by both white and black audiences, predating that of the Motown acts, has been noted as reflecting the early success of the Civil Rights Movement. They have received numerous honors, including the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation, as well as being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and named one of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time by Rolling Stone in 2004. Two of their songs, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "Tonight's the Night", were selected by Rolling Stone on its list of the greatest songs of all time. In 2022, their debut album Tonight's the Night was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[1]
^"National Recording Registry Inducts Music from Alicia Keys, Ricky Martin, Journey and More in 2022". Library of Congress. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
TheShirelles were an American girl group formed in Passaic, New Jersey in 1957. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens (later Shirley Alston Reeves)...
recorded in 1960 by theShirelles at Bell Sound Studios in New York City, and hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was the first by an African-American...
TheShirelles Sing to Trumpets and Strings is the sophomore album from American soul girl group TheShirelles, released in 1961. The album has received...
"Dedicated To The One I Love" is a song written by Lowman Pauling and Ralph Bass that was a hit for the "5" Royales, theShirelles, the Mamas & the Papas and...
TheShirelles and King Curtis Give a Twist Party is a 1962 collaborative album between American blues and rhythm and blues saxophonist King Curtis and...
Penguins, the Robins, Bill Haley & His Comets, Otis Williams, the Cadets, the Everly Brothers, theShirelles, the Regents, and the Crystals. Though the Beach...
and music executive for several popular singers in the 1960s including Dionne Warwick, theShirelles, Tammi Terrell, Chuck Jackson, and B.J. Thomas. Greenberg...
backing track is created from a looped sample of the intro to TheShirelles' single "The Dance is Over", which was originally released in 1960. In a post...
lead singer) of theShirelles. Doris was the lead singer on their biggest hit, "Dedicated to the One I Love". She initially left the group in 1968, but...
are the Billboard Hot 100 number one hits of 1961. That year, 16 acts achieved their first number one song, such as Bert Kaempfert, TheShirelles, Lawrence...
singer-songwriters to the public. Girl groups and female singers, such as theShirelles, Betty Everett, Little Eva, the Dixie Cups, the Ronettes, Martha and the Vandellas...
King. Their first success was "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", recorded by theShirelles and a hit in 1961. Goffin later wrote lyrics for songs with several...
the recording business, such as Florence Greenberg, who started the Scepter label in 1959, and signed the African American girl group, theShirelles....
1257/089533004773563485. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 12, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2012. Lehman, Jeffrey; Phelps, Shirelle (2005). West's Encyclopedia...
of Fame. Retrieved January 2, 2008. "TheShirelles". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 2, 2008. "The Velvet Underground". Rock and Roll Hall...
song by TheShirelles "Twenty One", a song by Khalid from Free Spirit "Twenty-One", a song by The Eagles from Desperado "Twenty One", a song by The Cranberries...
Global Information