In general, the creators of popular music rarely get the credit that they deserve. Although we all have dozens of tunes that we (un)controllably hum in our heads due to the genius of composers forever having something memorable tunewise to offer, we oft deride such content as fluff. When you’re one of the rare women…
Tag: Brill Building
Sissie Houston “World Of Broken Hearts” (Congress 268-B, 1966)
Sissie Houston “World Of Broken Hearts” (Congress 268-B, 1966) If there’s ever someone that’s been more “20 Feet From Stardom” than Darlene Love, It has to be Cissy Houston. Mother to Whitney Houston, Aunt to Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick, this Matriarch of Soul celebrates her 82nd Birthday this September 30th. She’s been performing in…
Irene Reid “My Heart Said (Bossa Nova) (Verve 10286, 1963)
Irene Reid “My Heart Said (Bossa Nova) (Verve 10286, 1963) Back to Back Birthday celebrations of genre blurring babes happens this week as we move from Solstice to Equinox. Next up we have the delightful Irene Reid. Equally hitless and loved on stage as Marlena Shaw, she would have celebrated her 85th Birthday this September…
The Shirelles “What Is Love?” (From The Shirelles Greatest Hits Vol II, 1967).
The Shirelles “What Is Love?” (From the LPĀ The Shirelles Greatest Hits Vol II, 1967). As I get ready for my first ever lecture on girl groups, I’m combing through powerpoint slides and notes and MP3 of who and what mattered most in the girl group era, and I’m humbled that I get to bring Women’s…
The Honey Bees “She Don’t Deserve You” (Fontana 1939, 1964)
The Honey Bees “She Don’t Deserve You” (Fontana 1939, 1964) Of all Girl Groups that were quite thoroughly the same group of women, The Cookies had the most diverse set of names. One has to wonder what the reasoning was, given that they had 3 Top 40 hits under their most consistent name. But as…
DJ Larsupreme 