The Girlfriends were an American girl group from Los Angeles who scored one hit in the United States in 1964, "My One and Only Jimmy Boy".[1]
The group was founded as a result of the splintering of the studio group The Blossoms. The four members of the Blossoms — Gloria Jones, Nanette Williams, Fanita James, and Darlene Wright — first sang together in 1957. In 1962, Phil Spector created the group Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans with James and Wright; Jones and Williams then formed their own group, The Girlfriends, with Carolyn Willis (formerly of The Ikettes).[2] They released one single, "My One and Only Jimmy Boy", on Colpix Records in 1963, written and produced by David Gates.[3] "My One and Only Jimmy Boy" used production techniques similar to Phil Spector's.[4] The session for "My One and Only Jimmy Boy" was arranged and paid for by Jan & Dean member Jan Berry.[3] The record peaked at #49 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964[1] and #77 on the Cashbox charts.[5] The Girlfriends never released another record; however, they recorded two more songs for a second single, "Baby Don't Cry" and "I Don't Believe in You", which were never released.[6] Colpix had slated them for issue in early 1964, but according to the group members, the assassination of John F. Kennedy put a damper on record sales and releases, and their second single was shelved in the event's wake.[6] Following the Girlfriends, Willis worked as a session singer for musicians such as Lou Rawls and O.C. Smith, and later joined Honey Cone.[7] Willis was also a featured vocalist on Seals and Crofts 1976 hit, "Get Closer". Both she and Jones sang in one of the nostalgia-circuit groups performing as The Shirelles in the 1990s.
References
edit- ^ a b Joel Whitburn, Top Pop Singles. 12th edition. Billboard, 2009, p. 395.
- ^ Jason Ankeny, The Girlfriends at Allmusic
- ^ a b Mark A. Moore, The Jan & Dean Record: A Chronology of Studio Sessions, Live Performances and Chart Positions, 2016, p. 145.
- ^ Domenic Priore, Riot On Sunset Strip: Rock'n'roll's Last Stand in Hollywood, 2007, pp. 108, 180.
- ^ Pat Downey, George Albert, & Frank W. Hoffmann, Cash Box Pop Singles Charts, 1950-1993, 1994, p. 140.
- ^ a b John Clemente, Girl Groups: The Fabulous Females Who Rocked the World, 2013, p. 265.
- ^ Jay Warner, American Singing Groups: A History from 1940s to Today, 2006, p. 491.