Few performers can truly be called trendsetters. Fewer still can sustain a high-visibility presence in the pop culture consciousness for almost 50 years. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members, The Shirelles have done these things and more. They have earned their exalted place in modern musical history.click here to buy tickets for the 50th Anniversary concert at Symphony Space in Manhattan on Dec. 18Beginning in 1958 as schoolgirls in Passaic, New Jersey, The Shirelles quickly became rock & roll's first female supergroup and were the inspirations for a legion of female groups that followed.They are universally credited as the originators of the Girl Group Sound that is so beloved by the Baby Boomer generation. Their long string of hits, including Soldier Boy, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, Dedicated To The One I Love, Mama Said, and so many others, have been recorded by hundreds of artists, including The Beatles, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton & The Yardbirds, The Mamas & the Papas, Bernadette Peters and Smokey Robinson.The Shirelles have received awards from BMI, The USO, The Vietnam Veterans of America, and the US Army. They received three gold records and were named Best Female Group in Billboard and Cash Box for five consecutive years. The 25th Anniversary of The Shirelles resulted in their receiving a citation in the Congressional Record in July 1983.The Shirelles were among the first women to write their own music and they also launched the careers of songwriters like Carole King, Burt Bacharach, Ashford & Simpson and Van McCoy. Constantly reissued, "The Shirelles Greatest Hits" received the highest rating in the Rolling Stone Record Guide. Leading music critic Dave Marsh described the album as essential to any serious record collector. The rise of compact discs has seen several original The Shirelles albums re-released to resounding acclaim, bothcritically and commercially.Since their 1958 debut at the NewYork's legendary Apollo Theater, The Shirelles have graced virtually every important stage in the world, countless supper clubs, discos, state fairs, hotel ballrooms and casinos. Years of nonstop touring have taken The Shirelles to Europe, Asia, Australia, South America and every state in the U.S.The Shirelles were among the first star entertainers to get involved in the battle against AIDS, and have also served as fundraisers for the USO (they hosted a gala New York benefit for the Persian Gulf troops) and the Mental Health Association in Passaic (NJ) County for which The Shirelles co-founder Beverly Lee has served on the Board of Directors.In recent years The Shirelles have received the Soul of America Music Award and the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. In 1996 The Shirelles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Johnny Be Good - THE SHIRELLES
Johnny Be Good Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow -- Shirelles
