The Velvelettes formed in 1961 in Detroit's Highland Park neighborhood. They were a vocal group that included Carolyn Gill, Annette Beard, Bertha Barbee, Sandra Tilley, and Edna Wright on piano. Berry Gordy signed them to Motown Records in 1963.
Their 1964 single 'Needle In A Haystack' reached the Top 40. The following year, 'He Was Really Saying Something' became their biggest hit, topping the Billboard R&B chart. The group underwent lineup changes in the late 1960s, with Gill taking over as lead vocalist.
They left Motown in 1972. The Velvelettes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.