Dee Dee Sharp

Dee Dee Sharp was a Philadelphia vocal group that formed in 1962 around Dianne Dee Warwick, who was the younger sister of singer Dionne Warwick. Their biggest hit came that same year with "Mashed Potato Time," a dance novelty that rode the wave of early-sixties dance crazes and reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. The song's simple, insistent beat and call-and-response lyrics made it a staple at sock hops and on radio playlists.

They followed it with more dance records like "Do The Bird" and "Gravy," keeping to the same upbeat, instructional formula. The group's sound was built around Warwick's bright, clear lead vocals and the tight backing harmonies of McKinley "Mac" Johnson and Earl Nelson. They were regulars on the Cameo-Parkway label, which was home to many of Philadelphia's pop and R&B acts of that era.

While "Mashed Potato Time" remained their signature, they had other chart entries like "Slow Twistin'" and continued recording into the late sixties. The group's output slowed as the decade ended and dance trends shifted. Dianne Warwick later pursued a solo career, though she never matched the commercial peak of her early work with Dee Dee Sharp.