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Shirley Owens

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Shirley Owens
Owens in 2008
Owens in 2008
Background information
Born (1941-06-10) June 10, 1941 (age 83)
Henderson, North Carolina, U.S.
OriginPassaic, New Jersey, U.S.
GenresR&B, pop, soul
OccupationSinger
Years active1958–present
Formerly ofThe Shirelles

Shirley Alston Reeves (born June 10, 1941), born Shirley Owens, is an American soul singer who was the main lead singer of the hit girl group the Shirelles.

The Shirelles

[edit]

In addition to Owens, The Shirelles consisted of fellow Passaic High School (New Jersey) alumni Doris Kenner Jackson, Addie "Micki" Harris McPhadden and Beverly Lee. Owens' strong, distinctive voice meant that she was a natural choice for the lead singer, though Jackson was also featured as lead on several songs, as well.

Reeves enjoyed a string of hits with The Shirelles throughout the 1960s, the most notable being "Will You Love Me Tomorrow". She left The Shirelles in 1975 to begin a solo career, initially recording under the name "Lady Rose".

The Shirelles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.[1] She also performed on the Doo Wop 51 PBS special in 2000.

Solo

[edit]

In 1975, she recorded an album entitled With A Little Help From My Friends, after the hit song by the Beatles, which featured members of the Flamingos, the Drifters, Shep and the Limelites, the Five Satins, the Belmonts, Danny & the Juniors, Herman's Hermits and La La Brooks of the Crystals.[2]

Shirley continues to tour under the name 'Shirley Alston Reeves and her Shirelles'.[3]

Personal life

[edit]

Through marriages, she became Shirley Alston and later, Shirley Alston Reeves. Her nephew, Gerald Alston is the lead singer of The Manhattans.

Discography

[edit]
The Shirelles in 1962

Albums

[edit]
Year Album Billboard 200[4] Record label
1960 Tonight's the Night — Scepter Records
The Shirelles Sing to Trumpets and Strings —
1962 The Shirelles and King Curtis Give a Twist Party —
Baby It's You —
1963 Foolish Little Girl 133
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World[5] —
1965 Hear and Now — Pricewise Records
Swing the Most —
1967 Spontaneous Combustion — Scepter Records
1971 Happy and in Love — RCA Records
1972 The Shirelles —
1973 Eternally, Soul — Scepter Records
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Compilation albums

[edit]
Year Album Billboard 200[6] Record label
1963 The Shirelles' Greatest Hits 67 Scepter Records
1964 The Shirelles Sing the Golden Oldies —
1967 The Shirelles's Greatest Hits Vol. II —
1972 Remember When Volume 1 — Wand Records
Remember When Volume 2 —
1973 The Shirelles Sing Their Very Best — Springboard
1975 The Very Best of the Shirelles — United Artists Records
1984 Anthology 1959–1964 — Rhino Records
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

[edit]
Year Single (A-side, B-side)

Both sides from same album except where indicated

Chart positions Album
US[7] US R&B[7] UK[8]
1958 "I Met Him on a Sunday (Ronde-Ronde)"

b/w "I Want You to Be My Boyfriend"

49 — — Non-album tracks
"My Love Is a Charm"

b/w "Slop Time"

— — —
"I Got the Message"

b/w "Stop Me"

— — —
1959 "Dedicated to the One I Love"

b/w "Look a Here Baby" (Non-album track)

83 — — Tonight's the Night
"Doin' the Ronde"

b/w "A Teardrop and A Lollipop" (Non-album track)

— — —
1960 "Please Be My Boyfriend"

b/w "I Saw a Tear" (from The Shirelles Sing to Trumpets and Strings)

— — — The Shirelles' Greatest Hits Vol. II
"Tonight's the Night"

b/w "The Dance Is Over"

39 14 — Tonight's the Night
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow"

b/w "Boys"

1 2 4
1961 "Dedicated to the One I Love" (reissue)

b/w "Look a Here Baby" (Non-album track)

3 2 —
"Mama Said"

b/w "Blue Holiday"

4 2 — The Shirelles Sing to Trumpets and Strings
"A Thing of the Past"

b/w "What a Sweet Thing That Was" (from The Shirelles Sing to Trumpets and Strings)

41

54

26

—

—

—

Baby It's You
"Big John (Ain't You Gonna Marry Me)"

b/w "Twenty-One"

21 2 — Baby It's You
"Baby It's You"

b/w "Things I Want to Hear (Pretty Words)"

8

107

3

—

—

—

1962 "Soldier Boy"

b/w "Love Is a Swingin' Thing" (from Give a Twist Party)

1

109

3

—

23

—

"Welcome Home, Baby"

b/w "Mama, Here Comes the Bride"

22

104

20

—

—

—

Give a Twist Party (With King Curtis)
"Stop the Music"

b/w "It's Love That Really Counts (In the Long Run)"

36

102

—

—

—

—

The Shirelles' Greatest Hits
"Everybody Loves a Lover"

b/w "I Don't Think So" (from Foolish Little Girl)

19 15 —
1963 "Foolish Little Girl"

b/w "Not for All the Money in the World"

4

100

9

—

38

—

Foolish Little Girl
"Don't Say Goodnight and Mean Goodbye"

b/w "I Didn't Mean to Hurt You"

26 — —
"What Does a Girl Do?"

b/w "Don't Let It Happen to Us" (Non-album track)

53 * — The Shirelles Swing the Most
"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"

b/w "31 Flavors"

92

97

* —

—

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
1964 "Tonight You're Gonna Fall in Love with Me"

b/w "20th Century Rock N' Roll" (from It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World)

57 * — Hear & Now
"Sha-La-La"

b/w "His Lips Get in the Way" (from The Shirelles Swing the Most)

69 * —
"Thank You Baby"

b/w "Dooms Day" (from Hear & Now)

63 * — The Shirelles' Greatest Hits Vol. II
"Maybe Tonight"

b/w "Lost Love"

88

125

* —

—

Hear & Now
"Are You Still My Baby"

b/w "I Saw a Tear" (from The Shirelles Sing to Trumpets and Strings)

91 * — Non-album tracks
1965 "Shhh, I'm Watching the Movie"

b/w "A Plus B"

— — —
"March (You'll Be Sorry)"

b/w "Everybody's Goin' Mad" (from It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World)

108 — —
"My Heart Belongs to You"

b/w "Love That Man" (Non-album track)

125 — — The Shirelles' Greatest Hits Vol. II
"Mama, My Soldier Boy Is Coming Home"

b/w "Soldier Boy" (from Baby, It's You)

— — — Non-album track
1966 "I Met Him on a Sunday – '66"

b/w "Love That Man" (Non-album track)

— — — The Shirelles' Greatest Hits Vol. II
"Que Sera Sera"

b/w "Till My Baby Comes Home"

— — — Remember When
"Shades of Blue"

b/w "When the Boys Talk About the Girls" (from Remember When)

122 — — Non-album tracks
"Teasin' Me"

b/w "Look Away"

— — —
1967 "Don't Go Home (My Little Darlin')"

b/w "Nobody Baby After You" (Non-album track)

110 — — The Shirelles' Greatest Hits Vol. II
"Bright Shiny Colors"

b/w "Too Much of a Good Thing"

— — — Non-album tracks
"Last Minute Miracle"

b/w "No Doubt About It"

99 41 — Spontaneous Combustion
1968 "Sweet Sweet Lovin'"

b/w "Don't Mess with Cupid"

— — — Non-album tracks
"Call Me (If You Want Me)"

b/w "There's a Storm Going On in My Heart"

— — —
1969 "A Most Unusual Boy"

b/w "Look What You've Done to My Heart"

— — —
"Playthings"

b/w "Looking Glass"

— — —
"Go Away and Find Yourself"

b/w "Never Give You Up (Never Gonna Give You Up)"

— — —
1970 "There Goes My Baby/Be My Baby"

b/w "Strange, I Love You"

— — —
"It's Gonna Take a Miracle"

b/w "Lost"

— — —
"Dedicated to the One I Love" (new version)

b/w "Take Me"

— — —
1971 "No Sugar Tonight"

b/w "Strange, I Love You"

— — — Happy and In Love
1972 "Sunday Dreaming"

b/w "Brother, Brother"

— — — The Shirelles
1973 "Let's Give Each Other Love"

b/w "Deep in the Night" (from The Shirelles)

— — — Non-album tracks
"Do What You've a Mind To"

b/w "Touch the Wind"

— — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Hinckley, David (January 17, 1996). "The Kids In The Hall From Gladys Knight To David Bowie, Rock And Roll Museum Comes Of Age With Lesser Stars Making The Honor Roll In '96". New York Daily News. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  2. ^ "The Shirelles". ClassicBands.com. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  3. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow- Shirley Alston Reeves and her Shirelles – Holmdel, NJ – 9/23/14". YouTube. September 24, 2014.
  4. ^ "The Shirelles Foolish Little Girl Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  5. ^ "Scepter Album Discography". Bsnpubs.com.
  6. ^ "The Shirelles The Shirelles Greatest Hits Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Billboard.com, The Shirelles Chart.
  8. ^ "SHIRELLES – full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
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