Arlene Smithâ s Chantels to Perform on the Oldies But Goodies Doo Wop Cruise

The Chantels are considered by many to have been the best of the girl groups, an
d were one of the first female R&B vocal groups to have achieved nationwide succ
ess.
Los Angeles, CA, March 23, 2010 -- Grant Williams CEO of Memory Lane Concert Cru
ises today announced the prestigious Arlene Smithâ s Chantels will be among nine re
cording groups from both the East and West Coasts. These groups were popular fro
m 1952 to 1963 and will perform on the famous Oldies But Goodies Doo Wop Cruise.
â The Chantels considered by many to have been the best of the girl groups, and we
re one of the first female R&B vocal groups to have nationwide success.â said Will
iams
Arlene Smith (lead), Lois Harris (first tenor), Sonia Goring (second tenor), Jac
kie Landry (second alto), and Rene Minus began their musical journey in their pr
eteens while attending choir practice at St. Anthony of Padua school in the Bron
x. By 1957, they had been singing together for more than seven years. A staple o
f their diet was Gregorian chants taught to such perfection that changing notes
and parts came easy for them. Unlike their male counterparts, girls were not abl
e to "hangout" on street corners at all hours practicing. Therefore, in 1957 muc
h of their practice took place in the girl's locker room at St. Anthony's. Arlen
e Smith was a member of the girl's basketball team. Win, lose or draw, the group
would always Sing after every game.
The strength of the group apart from its vocal presence was the writing ability
of lead singer Arlene Smith. There were not many girl groups in the mid 50s and
even less that wrote their own material. Arlene contributed both words and music
. When you combine her classical and gospel background with simple yet poignant
lyrics made her more successful at sixteen then she could have possibly imagined
. Her first song "He's Gone" written about a boyfriend while she was practicing
piano was The Chantels' first single "He's Gone," released in August 1957. From
the four parts a Capella chime harmony intro topped by Arlene's floating falsett
o to its matching ending, "He's Gone" instantly set a new standard of quality fo
r female group recording. By the end of September the record was on the Billboar
d national Top 100 charts but inexplicably stopped at number 71.
The Arlene Smithâ s first live performance was at a Jocko show at the Apollo Theate
r (Jocko was a well-known New York disc jockey at the time) in which the group w
as not even on the bill. Richard Barrett brought them onstage and waited for Joc
ko to present them. Arlene wowed the audience with "He's Gone" The next recordin
g session, on October 16, 1957. However it wasnâ t a regular recording studio, but
a refurbished church in midtown Manhattan, obviously for its acoustics. Richard
Barrett played the piano, bass and drums for the group recording of Arlene Smith
's "Maybe." Released in December by January 20, 1958, it was climbing the pop ch
arts and a week later the rhythm and blues charts. "Maybe" reached number 15 Pop
and number two R&B by late winter. Interestingly, though not unusual for the ti
me, the original records writer credit s read Casey and Goldner. Later issues an
d reissues had Arlene Smith and Goldner.
The Chantels third single for End was â Every Night (I Pray)," another gem that sou
nded like Arlene's writing style, although it showed Goldner's name on the recor
d. "Every Night" hit the pop charts on March 31, 1958, and reached number 39 Pop
and number 16 R&B. That spring the Chantels became the first female rhythm and
blues group to release an EP, it included: "Sure of Love," "Prayee," "I Love You
So," and "How Could You Call It Off." The later two became the Chantels' fourth
single in April "I Love You So" was another perfect Arlene Smith confection. Wh
ile reaching 42 Pop and number 14 R&B but it would turn out to be their last hit
on End. After "I Love You So" End released a second EP, an unprecedented move f
or an act that had only released four singles. This honor, usually reserved for
acts like the Clovers and Coasters that had been having hits for years. Three si
ngles followed and failed. The success of Little Anthony and the Imperials kept
End Records preoccupied in late 1958 and 1959, the result being less promotional
support for the Chantels. End stood to earn more from a touring group of male v
ocalists than five high schoolgirls still tied to their parents. Although the Ch
antels were one of the first female vocal groups of the rock era to have an albu
m released under their own name End records still dropped them by in late April
1959. Arlene Smith now decided to go solo however the Chantels records continued
being released with Richard Barrett on lead and by Gone Records an affiliate of
End.
After Arlene attended the prestigious Juilliard School of Music she reformed her
group in 1973 with newcomers Barbara Murray and Pauline Moore for some oldies r
evivals shows. In the early â 80s Arlene becomes a schoolteacher in the Bronx. Toda
y she continues to perform as lead singer for her own group, Arlene Smith's Chan
tels along with Brenda Fair-Alexander and Cheryl Carriere.
On April 10 2011, the Chantels will perform on Carnival cruise lines new and mos
t innovative ship in the world the Splendor. The Ship Sails from Los Angeles to
the Mexican Riviera on a 7-day cruise. There has never been a Doo Wop cruise eve
nt this spectacular on the West Coast.
Memory Lane Concert Cruises is musical theme cruise operator that offers world-c
lass concerts of performing artists in an array of music styles aboard luxury li
ners. http://www.mlccruises.com
Contact:
Grant Williams
Memory Lane Concert Cruises, LLC
Los Angeles, CA,
541 879 6298
mlccruises@gamil.com
http://www.mlccruises.com