The Many Faces of the Girlfriends

The Girlfriends

The Girlfriends really didn’t have much say about becoming a ‘one-hit wonder’.

It would be very difficult to be a two-hit wonder when your total recorded output would be only one record!

The Girlfriends’ roots stem from a very successful and legendary backing group – generally known as the Blossoms.  The Blossoms backed so many musicians on big-hit recordings, but that is a whole other story.

The Girlfriends have the distinction of giving us one of the best, most exciting, Phil Spector-like songs of the entire girl-group era: “My One and Only Jimmy Boy” from the fall of 1963.

David Gates’ at His Spector Best

Two of the original Blossoms were selected by Spector to participate in one of his ‘wall of sound’ concoctions, namely Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans – Those two would be Darlene Wright (who would record as Darlene Love) and Fanita James.

That would leave Gloria Jones and an earlier member, Nanette Williams to join up with by Carolyn Willis forming – for a very brief time, the Girlfriends.  The three would fall under the guidance of future Bread member David Gates who would composer two tracks for them and take on production chores as well.

Gates other claim to girl-group composing fame was his first song to make the charts – “Popsicles and Icicles” by the Murmaids which went all the way to number 3 on the Hot 100 in late 1963.

The Girlfriends – beyond the groups they came from or branched out to – would also record as the “Birdies”, the “K-C-Ettes”, the “Ultra-Mates”, the “Wildcats” and gosh knows how many more!.

Carolyn Willis

Willis had come over from a stint with Ike and Tina Turner’s Ikettes. Prior to that in 1961-62 she was a member of “The Sweethearts along with Noraneice Allen, and sisters Charlotte and Elaine Brown.

Carolyn would become a touring member of Spector’s “Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans along with Lillian Washington.  But recordings were cut by Blossoms Darlene Love and Fanita James accompanying Bobby Sheen.

Washington and Willis both appear standing with Sheen on the 1963 Philles LP “A Christmas Gift For You.  Blue Jean Love stands high above the gathering as a solo artist.

A few years later she would become a member of the Honey Cone who recorded on the Hot Wax label from 1968 until 1973.  She kept doing session work and backed Carly Simon, Neil Diamond, Boz Scaggs and more.  She was also a member of a large Gospel group called the “Brothers & Sisters” in 1969.  Willis was in a trio called “The Space Angels” releasing one record in 1978 on the MCA label.

Gloria Jones

Member Gloria Jones had been a member of a mid 1950’s group called the “Rollettes” and then of a girl-quartet called “The Playgirls” in 1959 recording a couple of singles for RCA Victor.  Both Fanita James and Nanette Williams were that foursome along with Nanette Williams.  In 1962 Gloria was the lead voice for the girl group “Yolanda and the Charmanes” and also with “Hannibal and the Angels” in 1960.

Gloria would record several solo records post Girlfriends, first with Champion Records in 1965 then moving on to a long string of labels, most prominently with Capitol Records in the late 1970’s.  She had been with the group usually performing as the Blossoms from 1954 up to 1962 and in 2000 would rejoin Fanita James in the a modern version of the Blossoms.  She also worked with Fanita in an oldies revival version of the Shirelles.

Nanette Williams

Nanette Williams was a member of the Dreamers – the backing group for Richard Berry in the mid 1950’s – The Dreamers also included Jennell Hawkins, Fanita James and Girlfriend Gloria Jones.  Hawkins fronted her own groups and was also with the “Lockettes” and the “Combonets”.

And so the Girlfriends appeared and disappeared but not really – They were always there – We just probably didn’t know it.  But “My One And Only, Jimmy Boy” was a special treat from the girl-group era that I am glad was given to us!

The Girlfriends (and related) Selected Discography

Nannette Williams was with the Blossoms from 1954 until 1958 – Gloria Jones was a Blossom from 1954 until 1962. Their time with the Blossoms is reflected below in the discography.

45 Rollettes – Class – Sad Fool – September, 1956

45 Blossoms – Capitol – Move On b/w He Promised Me – November, 1957

45 Blossoms – Capitol – Little Louie b/w Have Faith In Me – January, 1958

45 Blossoms – Capitol – No Other Love b/w Baby Daddy-O – October, 1958

45 The Playgirls – RCA Victor – Hey Sport b/w Young Love Swings The World – June, 1959

45 The Playgirls – RCA Victor – Gee, But I’m Lonesome b/w Sugar Beat – April, 1960

45 Sweethearts – Ray Star – Sorry Daddy b/w Ting-A-Ling-A-Ling – 1961

45 – Blossoms – Challenge – Son-In-Law b/w I’ll Wait – April, 1961

45 Blossoms – Challenge – Son-In-Law – & Coeds (also the Blossoms) – I’ll Wait – April, 1961

45 Blossoms – Challenge – Write Me A Letter b/w Hard To Get – September, 1961

45 Yolanda & The Charmanes – Smash – The Oughta Be A Law b/w Hootchy Cootchy Girl – August, 1962

45 The Ultra-Mates – Charter – The Huckle-Buck b/w Pitter Patter – April, 1963

45 The K-C-Ettes (with Al Casey) – Stacy – Surfin’ Hootenanny – June, 1963

45 The K-C-Ettes (with Al Casey) – Stacy – Guitars, Guitars, Guitars – September, 1963

45 Girlfriends – Colpix – My One and Only, Jimmy Boy – Number 49 Hot 100 -Number b/w For My Sake – December, 1963

45 The Wildcats – Reprise – What Are We Gonna Do In ’64? b/w 3625 Groovy Street – January, 1964

45 The K-C-Ettes (with Al Casey) – Stacy – What Are We Gonna Do In ’64? – January, 1964

45 The Birdies – CRC – The Huckle-Buck 65 b/w Pitter Patter – January, 1965

45 The Brothers and Sisters – Ode – The Mighty Quinn b/w Chimes of Freedom – August, 1969

LP Brothers and Sisters – Ode – Dylan’s Gospel – September, 1969

45 The Honey Cone – Hot Wax – Girls It Ain’t Easy – Number 8 R&B – Number 68 Hot 100 – October. 1969

45 The Brothers and Sisters – Ode – The Times They Are A-Changin’ b/w Mr. Tambourine Man – November, 1969

45 The Honey Cone – Hot Wax – Want Ads – Number 1 R&B – Number 1 Hot 100 – April, 1971

LP The Honey Cone – Hot Wax – Sweet Replies – Number 137 LP Charts – June, 1971

45 The Honey Cone – Hot Wax – Stick Up – Number 1 R&B – Number 11 Hot 100 – August, 1971

LP The Honey Cone – Hot Wax – Soulful Tapestry – Number 72 LP Charts – November, 1971

45 The Honey Cone – Hot Wax – One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show – Number 5 R&B – Number 15 Hot 100 – November, 1971

45 The Honey Cone – Hot Wax – The Day I Found Myself – Number 8 R&B – Number 23 Hot 100 – February, 1972

LP The Honey Cone – Hot Wax – Love, Peace & Soul – Number 189 LP Charts – September, 1972

45 Tartaglia and the Space Angels – It’s Love Love Love b/w Instrumental – November, 1978