The Chantels

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This article is about the girl group. For the reggae group, see the Chantells.

The Chantels
Origin
doo wop, rock and roll
Years active1957–1970, 1999-present
MembersSonia Goring Wilson
Renée Minus White
Lois Harris Powell
  • Naomi White Randolph
Past membersArlene Smith
Jackie Landry Jackson
Annette Smith
Sandra Dawn
Helen Liebowitz Powell
Yvonne Fair
  • Ami Ortiz

The Chantels are a pop music group and are the third African-American girl group to enjoy nationwide success in the United States, preceded by The Teen Queens and The Bobbettes. The group was established in the early 1950s by students attending St. Anthony of Padua Church and school in the Bronx.[1]

The original five members consisted of Arlene Smith (lead) (October 5, 1941), Sonia Goring Wilson (born Millicent Goring) (1940), Renée Minus White (1943), Jackie Landry Jackson (May 22, 1941 – December 23, 1997) and Lois Harris (1940). They derived their name from that of Jane Frances de Chantal.

Career

In 1957 the Chantels, then in high school, had been singing as a group for several years. Unlike some Black groups whose influences were based in gospel, the quintet was influenced by classical music and Latin hymns.

gold disc.[3] The following releases were less successful but End did release an album originally titled We Are the Chantels. The original cover had a photo of the group. That album was soon withdrawn and repackaged with a picture of two white teenagers picking out a song; the title was shortened to The Chantels.[4]

The group was dropped by End in 1959, and Arlene Smith embarked upon a

Little Anthony & the Imperials.[6][7] To cash in on "Look in My Eyes", End threw together an album titled There's Our Song Again, a compilation of previously recorded material.[4]

The Chantels switched

PBS special Doo Wop 50
, Smith reunited with the surviving original members of the Chantels and dedicated "Maybe" to Jackie Landry, who died in 1997.

The Chantels were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.[8] In 2001 and 2009 they made the final ballot for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,[9][10] but without enough votes for induction.

Discography

Albums

  • We Are the Chantels (End Records, 1958)
  • There's Our Song Again (End Records, 1961)
  • The Chantels on Tour (Carlton Records, 1962)

Singles

Year Titles (A-side, B-side)
Both sides from same album except where indicated 		Peak chart positions Album
US
[11] 		US R&B
[11]
1957 "He's Gone"
b/w "The Plea" 		71 — We Are the Chantels
1958 "Maybe"
b/w "Come My Little Baby" 		15 2
"Every Night (I Pray)"
b/w "Whoever You Are" 		39 16
"I Love You So"
b/w "How Could You Call It Off" (Non-album track) 		42 12
"If You Try"
b/w "Congratulations" 		— —
"Prayee"
b/w "Sure of Love" (from We Are the Chantels) 		— — Non-album tracks
1959 "I Can't Take It"
b/w "Never Let Go" (from There's Our Song Again) 		— —
"Summer's Love"
b/w "All Is Forgiven" 		93 29
"Goodbye to Love"
b/w "I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)" 		— — There's Our Song Again
1960 "How Could You Call It Off"
b/w "Whoever You Are" (from We Are the Chantels) 		— — Non-album track
1961 "Look in My Eyes"
b/w "Glad to Be Back" 		14 6 On Tour
"I'm the Girl"
b/w "There's Our Song Again" 		— — There's Our Song Again
"Well I Told You"
b/w "Still" 		29 — On Tour
1962 "Here It Comes Again"
b/w "Summertime" 		— —
1963 "Eternally"
b/w "Swamp Water" 		77 — Non-album tracks
1966 "There's No Forgetting You"
b/w "Take Me as I Am" 		— —
"You're Welcome to My Heart"
b/w "Soul of a Soldier" 		— —
"Indian Giver"
b/w "It's Just Me" 		— —
1969 "Maybe"
b/w "He's Gone" 		— — We Are The Chantels
1970 "Love Makes All the Difference in the World"
b/w "I'm Gonna Win Him Back" 		— — Non-album tracks
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

References

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "The Chantels". History-of-rock.com. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  3. ISBN 0-214-20512-6
    .
  4. ^ a b "End Label Album Discography". Bsnpubs.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2005. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  5. ISBN 9780634099786
    . Retrieved July 19, 2017. The Chantels.
  6. ^ "Carlton Album Discography". Bsnpubs.com. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  7. ^ "Carlton Album Discography, Part 1". Bsnpubs.com. May 27, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  8. ^ "Inductees". The Vocal Group Hall of Fame Fojundation. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  9. ^ Wiederhorn, Jon (September 17, 2001). "Spirit Of '77: Ramones, Pistols Nominated For Hall Of Fame". MTV. Retrieved February 3, 2009.
  10. ^ "Nominees For Class of 2010 Rock Hall". CBS News. September 23, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "The Chantels - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2022.

Bibliography

External links
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