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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZSHIRLEY and LEER&B duo, Shirley Pixley Goodman (b 19 June '36; d 5 July 2005), Leonard Lee (b 29 June '36; d 23 Oct. '76). With his deep voice and her much higher one they had a unique sound on several top five R&B hits, beginning with 'I'm Gone' '52 on Aladdin, many written or co-written by Lee. they pretended to be sweethearts through a series, 'Shirley Come Back To Me' etc, leaning on the contrast of their voices. The other hits included 'Feel So Good' and 'I Feel Good', but 'Let The Good Times Roll' was a no. 2 R&B and reached the pop top 20 '56, their biggest crossover, the teenage party record with a black sound that no one who was there can ever forget, one of the icons of early rock'n'roll right up there with Fats Domino's 'Ain't That A Shame' and Chuck Berry's 'Maybelline'. It was allegedly banned by some white disc jockeys who thought it was suggestive. The duo label-hopped, split up '63; Lee recorded for Imperial; Shirley teamed with Jesse Hill as Shirley and Jesse, worked in New Orleans with Mac Rebennack and others; then recorded 'Shame Shame Shame' as Shirley & Company, one of the first disco hits, a no. 12 pop '75, produced and co-written by Sylvia Robinson (see Mickey and Sylvia). A four-CD box The Sweethearts Of The Blues on Bear Family compiled '52-63 Shirley and Lee tracks for Aladdin, Warwick and Imperial. |