The Sweet Inspirations Part Two


The four members of The Sweet Inspirations are made up today of Estelle Brown, Myrna Smith, Sylvia Shemwell and Portia Griffin. They can currently be seen touring with "Elvis the Concert".

ESTELLE BROWN

Estelle began singing in New York at the tender age of five in a well known family church group known as The Twilight Gems.

Later Estelle joined a group known as Cissy's Girls, which was led by Whitney's Houston's mother, Cissy. The group eventually also included Myrna Smith and Sylvia Shemwell. They did backgrounds for such famous artists as Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Wilson Pickett and King Curtis.

They also recorded songs on their own producing their big hit, "Sweet Inspiration" which was also around the time they changed the name of their group.

Estelle now enjoys life as an ordained minister.

You can read more about Estelle at Estelle Browns bio

SYLVIA SHEMWELL

Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Sylvia Shemwell also began singing at the young age of 5-years-old.

By the time She had turned 14, she'd won a contest for the Apollo Amateur Hour.

She married her childhood sweetheart at seventeen, and is now the proud mother of four and has several grandchildren.

She has worked with such greats as, Little Esther, Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett, The Drifters, Gene Pitney, Connie Francis, the Bee Gees and Aretha Franklin.

Sylvia began singing with the "Gospellaires" in 1959. The group consisted of Dionne Warwick, Sylvia's little sister DeeDee, and her brother John Utley.

Dionne Warwick eventually joined Burt Bacharach on tour. She was then replaced by Whitney's mother, Cissy Houston.

Sylvia organized her own jazz trio after Elvis death, and shared the stage with the Bee Gees for four months.

You can read more about Sylvia at Sylvia Shemwells Bio

MYRNA SMITH

Myrna grew up in Newark, New Jersey. She also started singing at the age of five when she when she sang "Jesus Loves Me" with her fathers gospel group, on "The Sons of Harmony Radio Show."

By the time Sylvia was 8-years-old she was singing in a youth group called C.H. Walters Choir. Cissy Houston (Dionne Warwicks aunt) and Sylvias sister Dee Dee, became the directors of the group.

Dionne Warwick, Sylvia, her brother John and her sister Dee Dee formed a gospel group called the Gospellaires. Estelle Brown also became a member of this group. The group eventually consisted of Cissy Houston, Syliva Shemwell, Estelle Brown and Myrna Smith.

The copyright of the article The Sweet Inspirations Part Two in Elvis Presley is owned by June Moore. Permission to republish The Sweet Inspirations Part Two in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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