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The Ikettes
The Ikettes, originally The Artettes, were a trio (sometimes quartet) of female backing vocalists for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Despite their origins, the Ikettes became successful artists in their own right. In the 1960s they had chart-topper, hits such as "I'm Blue (The Gong-Gong Song)" and "Peaches 'N' Cream". In 2017, ''Billboard'' ranked "I'm Blue (The Gong-Gong Song)" No. 63 on its list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time. The group started as "The Artettes", the backing group of Art Lassiter. The first official incarnation of The Ikettes was composed of Delores Johnson, Eloise Hester and Josie Jo Armstead. The most popular line-up consisted of Robbie Montgomery, Venetta Fields, and Jessie Smith (singer), Jessie Smith. It was this trio that later morphed into The Mirettes. As the 1960s progressed, the Ikettes became known for their sexy onstage appearance; Miniskirt, minidresses, long hair and high-energy dance routines that mirrored their mentor Tina Turner. " ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhythm And Blues
Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to African Americans, at a time when "rocking, jazz based music ... [with a] heavy, insistent beat" was starting to become more popular. In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950s through the 1970s, the bands usually consisted of a piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, one or more saxophones, and sometimes background vocalists. R&B lyrical themes often encapsulate the African-American history and experience of pain and the quest for freedom and joy, as well as triumphs and failures in terms of societal racism, oppression, relationships, economics, and aspirations. The term "rhythm and blues" has undergone a number of shifts in meaning. In the early 1950s, it was frequently applied to blues records. Starting i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tina Turner
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifying stage presence Timeline of African-American firsts, broke the racial barrier in rock music. Turner rose to prominence in 1960 as the lead singer of the husband-wife duo Ike & Tina Turner, known for their explosive live performances with the Ikettes and Kings of Rhythm. Their tumultuous marriage led to a disbanding in 1976, and she embarked on a successful solo career, becoming one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling recording artists of all time, with estimated sales of 100 million records. In 1984, Turner launched "one of the greatest comebacks in music history", with her multi-platinum album ''Private Dancer''. Her single "What's Love Got to Do with It (song), What's Love Got to Do with It" won the Grammy Award for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edna Richardson
Edna Woods (born August 23, 1949), also known as LeJeune Richardson, is an American singer, dancer and actress. She was an Ikette in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue in the 1960s and 1970s, and later a dancer for Tina Turner in the 1980s and 1990s. Richardson was a backing vocalist for Gayle McCormick and John Mayall. She was also a member of the vocal group Silver, Platinum & Gold. Life and career Richardson was born Edna Woods on August 23, 1949, in Akron, Ohio. As a teenager she worked as a beautician and sang gospel. Richardson got her professional start as a singer in the group Soul Sensations. Richardson joined the Ike & Tina Turner Revue an Ikette in 1968. As an Ikette, Richardson toured the world and appeared on various television shows, including ''The Hollywood Palace'', ''The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour'', '' Soul Train'', ''The Dick Cavett Show'', ''The Midnight Special'', ''Cher'', and '' Don Kirshner's Rock Concert''. In the mid 1970s Richardson pursued a career ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Claudia Lennear
Claudia Lennear (born Claudia Joy Offley; 1946) is an American soul singer and educator. Lennear began her performing with the Superbs before becoming an Ikette in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. She was also a background vocalist for various acts, including Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, and Freddie King. She released her only solo album in 1973. Lennear was featured in the 2013 Oscar-winning documentary '' 20 Feet from Stardom''. She was inducted in the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2019. Early life Lennear was born Claudia Joy Offley at Providence Lying-In Hospital in Rhode Island. Her last name was changed after her mother married Leo V. Lennear, a Navy man stationed in Newport. She grew up in different neighborhoods in Providence. Although raised a Catholic, her grandmother taught her to sing gospel songs as a child. In elementary school, Lennear studied music theory and took French at St. Charles Borromeo parochial school. Her career goal was to become a translator at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Esther Jones (singer)
Esther Faye Bills (February 2, 1945 – December 8, 2006) was an American soul singer and choreographer, best known as the "longest-lasting Ikette" in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. In the 1980s, she was the lead vocalist in the band Formula 5. Life and career Jones was born on February 2, 1945, in El Paso, Texas, to Luchie and Carrie Bills. Growing up in Midland, she sang in church, played percussion and won competitions as a twirler. After she graduated from Carver High School in 1964, she joined a group called the B-29ers and Arty Tolliver as a vocalist. In 1968, Jones auditioned to become an Ikette and was hired on the spot. While most Ikettes did not last long, Jones was one of the constant members until the end of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue in 1976. At one point, she had briefly quit when Ike Turner fined her $15 for being late onstage. Due to her experience and leadership, Jones trained the other Ikettes and was referred to as "Motha" Ikette. During her tenure as a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maxayn Lewis
Maxayn Lewis is an American soul singer, musician, songwriter, and producer. She began her career in the 1960s, under her birth name Paulette Parker, as member of the Ikettes in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. In the 1970s, Lewis sang lead in the band Maxayn with her then-husband Andre Lewis. She was described as "a cross between Aretha Franklin and Roberta Flack." The group eventually morphed to Mandré. Lewis is also a prolific backing vocalist. She has sung with various acts, including The Gap Band, Donna Summer, Ray Charles, Celine Dion, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Bonnie Raitt, Simple Minds, Duran Duran, Smokey Robinson, Ricky Martin, and Britney Spears. Life and career Lewis was born Paulette Parker, the first of four children to Emzie and Lorene Parker in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Growing up in Greenwood, she listened to Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters, Mahalia Jackson, Sarah Vaughan, and Ella Fitzgerald. In the fifth grade, Parker created an all-female singing group called The Continen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shelly Clark
Shelly Clark (born July 27, 1947) is an American singer, dancer and actress, best known as a founding member of the 1970s R&B girls group, Honey Cone who had the No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit single, " Want Ads" released in March 1971. Early life Shelly was born Mashelle Clark in Brooklyn, New York on July 27, 1947. Her mother Lilly Gainen-Clark a Russian Jew was a concert pianist. Her father Edward Evans Clark from Barbados was a self taught dancer singer and entertainer. Clark had an older brother Ilya Clark who was born in 1945. The family moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, California in 1957. Career Early career Clark began her career as a dancer, singer and actress at age 6. At age 7 she and her brother were cast in the hit Broadway musical '' House of Flowers'' which starred Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll. The musical ran every night for 8 months. Clark and her brother were known as The Clark Kids. Their father became their dance trainer and manager. In 1957, The C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pat Powdrill
Pat Powdrill (January 21, 1948 – April 11, 1996) was an American soul singer and songwriter. Powdrill was best known for being a member of the Ikettes in the 1960s. She began her career as a solo artist recording for Reprise Records and Downey Records. She later performed as backing vocalist for various artists. Life and career Powdrill was born in Birmingham, Alabama. Her family moved to Los Angeles when she was 8 years old. At 15 years old, Powdrill signed to Frank Sinatra's Reprise Records in 1963. She was produced by Jimmy Bowen; arranged by Jack Nitzsche and David Gates. In total, there were three singles on the label between 1963 and 1964, but none of them charted. During this period her mother chaperoned her while she opened for Johnny Otis, Esther Phillips, and Dinah Washington in San Francisco. While still under contract to Reprise, Powdrill met independent record producer Nick Risi through her mother who worked with his father at the same company. She would at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gloria Scott (singer)
Gloria Scott (born February 26, 1946) is an American soul singer. Her first recording, titled "I Taught Him" by Gloria Scott and the Tonettes, was written and produced by Sylvester Stewart (better known as Sly Stone), and released in 1964 when she was 17 years of age. She signed a seven-year contract with Barry White in 1972. White produced the 1974 album ''What Am I Gonna Do'', and a single "Just as Long as We're Together (In My Life There Will Never Be Another)" which reached the top 20 on numerous record charts. She recorded a second album with arranger H. B. Barnum, but it was never released. Scott was recruited as a member of the Ikettes with PP Arnold in 1965 and she also worked as a background singer for Mary Wilson (of The Supremes). Scott is a regular performer at The Baltic Soul Weekender in Germany. Musical career Her first 45 single was written and produced by Sylvester Stewart, better known as Sly Stone : "Gospel Singer Gloria Scott and the Tonettes cut '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Venetta Fields
Venetta Lee Fields (born 1941) is an American-born Australian singer and musical theater actress, and vocal coach. Fields was a backing vocalist for touring American and British rock and pop acts of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as working as a session recording vocalist, she worked with artists including Ike & Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, Humble Pie, Barbra Streisand, Elkie Brooks, Neil Diamond, Steely Dan, Boz Scaggs, Bob Seger and the Rolling Stones. After emigrating to Australia in 1982, she took up citizenship. She recorded or toured as a backing singer for Australian artists Richard Clapton, Australian Crawl, Cold Chisel, Jimmy Barnes, James Morrison, John Farnham, and New Zealand artists Tim Finn and Split Enz. Life and career Early life Fields was born in Buffalo, New York in 1941, into a religious family. Her early musical training was from regular gospel performances at church. Her inspiration was Aretha Franklin. Fields singing career began with the Templaires, a gro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jessie Smith (singer)
Jessie Smith (November 28, 1941 – February 4, 2021) was an American R&B vocalist. She began her career singing with musician Benny Sharp, recording as Little Miss Jessie, and became best known as one of the original Ikettes in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. She later sang backing vocals for various artists, including Dr. John, Paul Williams, Al Kooper, José Feliciano, and Leon Ware. Life and career Jessie Smith was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the daughter of Georgia and Israel Smith, and was raised in Alton, Illinois.Obituary, Jessie Smith Lucas, ''Cathy M. Williams Funeral Home'', February 10, 2021 Retrieved 31 July 2021 She was a member of the Be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jo Armstead
Josephine Armstead (born October 8, 1944), also known as "Joshie" Jo Armstead, is an American soul singer and songwriter. Armstead began her career singing backing vocals for blues musician Bobby "Blue" Bland before becoming an Ikette in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue in the early 1960s. She also had some success as a solo singer, her biggest hit being "A Stone Good Lover" in 1968. As a songwriter, Armstead teamed up with Ashford & Simpson. The trio wrote hits for various artists, including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Tina Britt, Ronnie Milsap, and Syl Johnson. In the 1970s, Armstead appeared in the Broadway musicals '' Don't Play Us Cheap'' and ''Seesaw''. Life and career Armstead was born to Wilton and Rosie Armstead in Yazoo City, Mississippi on October 8, 1944. She started singing in the church in which her mother was a minister. After her grandfather introduced her to blues music, she also began singing in juke joints and at dances, and first sang in a club as part of Bob ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
