The Best Pop Music Performers of 1963

The brother-sister duo of Nino Tempo and April Stevens took "Deep Purple" to no. 1 in early Oct. "Whispering" made no. 11 in very late Dec.

The Shirelles had a no. 4 smash, "Foolish Little Girl" in late April (One of their best!) and "Don't Say Goodnight And Mean Goodbye" (no. 26, mid-July). This would be their last top 40 hit, but the group also had "Thank You Baby", which came out in 1964, I think, and the vocal version of "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (each group member sang in several languages!). "Don't Go Home, My Little Darlin'" was a very good, but unsuccessful, attempt at a comback in 1967.

The Shirelles, along with many other groups and singers, were casualties of the British Invasion. And there was in-group fighting, sometimes over who should sing lead and other matters. (Legend has it that a taping of "American Bandstand" was stopped because the group began arguing while in the middle of performing! This incident was shown on the late, great "American Dreams").

Other singers were now on the Sceptor label, such as Dionne Warwick, who would occasionally sing backup on some Shirelles songs, because sometimes a group member wouldn't show up, due to the infighting. (In the 1980s, the group sang backup on a Dionne Warwick record. That's show biz, huh?)

There was also supposed to be a "trust fund" set up by Sceptor record owner Florence Greenberg that would be given to each group member upon turning 21. It turned out that there wasn't one at all; everything was "spent" on tours, promotons, etc. And there were legal entanglements. But after these were cleared up, the group remained at Sceptor for another four years.

Eventually, they left and recorded for other labels, but the British Invasion was in full force and none of the new songs came close to the success of before. Since the '70s, the group has been playing the oldies circuit.

Two original members have died (Addie "Micki" Harris and Doris Coley, then Kenner Jackson). It is uncertain if group member Beverly Lee still sings or not, but Shirley Owens ,then, Alston Reeves still is at this time and packs them in at oldies shows. The Shirelles were and are one of the decade's and rock and roll's historical figures (inducted into The

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