- The Starlets
The Starlets were an American
girl group fromChicago ,Illinois .The group came together in 1961, and auditioned for a Chicago songwriter,
Bernice Williams . Williams wrote them the tune "Better Tell Him No", which was released onPam Records that year. The record peaked at #38 on theBillboard Hot 100 . [Joel Whitburn , "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits". 7th edn, 2000] The group then toured withJackie Wilson ,Mary Wells , andGladys Knight & the Pips . [http://wm10.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fpfixql0ldfe~T1 Biography] , Allmusic.com] The group's follow-up single, "My Last Cry", was less successful.In December of that year, the group performed in Philadelphia, and while there,
Newtown Records owner Harold Robinson had them record the song "I Sold My Soul to the Junkman". Newtown released the single under the name "The BlueBelles " in order to avoid contractual issues with Pam Records; as the song became a hit, Robinson assembled a local Philadelphia ensemble tolip-synch the song on television. Among this second group's members wasPatti LaBelle . As "Junkman" itself became an even bigger hit than "Better Tell Him No", The Starlets sued Robinson, settling for $5,000 per member.The Starlets then moved to
Okeh Records , releasing one single, 1962's "You Belong to Me", and broke up shortly thereafter.Members
*Jane Hall
*Maxine Edwards
*Mickey McKinney
*Jeannette Miles
*Liz Walker (aka Dynetta Boone)References
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