The Royalettes: The Singles Collection ... plus (1962-70)

This Baltimore quartet comprised of Sheila Ross, Anita Ross, Terry Jones and Veronica Brown was something of a link between the girl group and "sweet soul" styles. Their harmonies were clearly grounded in the early-'60s girl group approach. But they also benefited from pop-oriented, occasionally grandiose production at the MGM label, where they recorded their most successful work. The Royalettes were discovered in 1962 when they won a talent contest sponsored by legendary Baltimore disc jockey Buddy Deane. Their prize was a recording contract with Chancellor Records, but the two releases did not click with the public. A single for Warner Brothers Records did nothing either. In 1964, the Royalettes were signed to MGM Records and were teamed up with arranger/producer Teddy Randazzo, and he applied a little of the same magic that he used in recording all the Little Anthony and The Imperials hits for DCP during the '60s. The result was the girls' first national hit with 'It's Gonna Take a Miracle' (number 28 R&B/number 41 pop), from 1965, on which Randazzo created a sound that was indistinguishable from Little Anthony. The song was destined to be more identified, however, with singer/songwriter Laura Nyro, who made it the title track of her 1971 album of soul covers. In 1982, Deniece Williams took it into the Top Ten with her own rendition. The girls broke out of the Little Anthony mode with their second hit 'I Want to Meet Him' (number 26 R&B/number 72 pop), also from 1965. The Royalettes were not able to reach the charts again, although MGM spared no expense on their elaborate productions for the group's singles, which were as excellent as 'It's Better Not To Know', 'I Don't Want to Be the One', '(He Is) My Man' and 'Only When You're Lonely'. The latter failed to chart, possibly because Chicago-based singer Holly Maxwell had already had success in several markets with her version of the song. After a single for Roulette in 1967 failed to attract an audience, the Royalettes broke up. This set compiles all the singles recorded by the Baltimore group, including all of their Chancellor (1962-63), MGM (1964-66), Warner Bros. (1964) and Roulette (1966) sides, plus a live version of 'It's Gonna Take a Miracle'. I included 13 bonus tracks too, consisting of all the cuts from their two albums that weren't released as singles and the A-side of Sheila Ross' only solo 45, 'Livin' in Love', issued as Sheila Anthony. That is basically The Royalettes' entire discography. Enjoy!! http://fullundie.blogspot.com/, http://www.artistdirect.com/, http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/royalettes.htm

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The Royalettes sing their beautiful original 1965 recording of 'It's Gonna Take A Miracle' (lip-sync):