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Honey Cone
Honey Cone is an American R&B and soul girl group. Originally formed by lead singer Edna Wright (sister of Darlene Love) with Carolyn Willis and Shelly Clark in 1968. They are known for their number-one Billboard Hot 100 single, "Want Ads". Honey Cone were the premier female group for Hot Wax Records, operated by Holland–Dozier–Holland after they had departed from Motown Records.
As of 2024, Honey Cone has reunited with founding member Shelly Clark leading the fold with two new members Kathy Merrick and Wendy Smith-Brune.
The trio each had previous professional singing experience with various groups and in the studio before forming Honey Cone in 1968.
Edna Wright, a Los Angeles native, grew up singing in the church. Her father, Bishop J.W. Wright, was a pastor at King's Holiness Chapel in Los Angeles. She began her career in a gospel group called The COGIC (Church of God in Christ) singers in 1960. Through her sister, singer Darlene Love, she met producer Phil Spector. Jack Nitzsche, an associate of Spector, produced her first feature recording in 1964. Wright sang lead on "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" by Hale and the Hushabyes which was a pseudonym for a group that included Brian Wilson, Sonny & Cher, Jackie DeShannon. That year she released her debut solo single "A Touch of Venus," which led to a nationwide nightclub tour. Between 1964 and 1967, Wright recorded as Sandy Wynns. She then became a backing vocalist for the Righteous Brothers, Johnny Rivers then for Ray Charles who asked her to join the Raelettes.
Carolyn Willis began singing at the age of 16, she was a member of the girl group the Girlfriends. They released one single, "My One and Only Jimmy Boy" (No. 49 Pop), on Colpix Records in 1963. She also did some session work with Lou Rawls, O.C. Smith, and Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans. Willis and Wright were also members of Darlene Love's group The Blossoms.
Shelly Clark, a native of Brooklyn, began her career at the young age of six. Along with her older brother. they released an album on Columbia Records titled Calypso Songs For Children (1957). At the age of 7, Clark appeared in the hit Broadway musical House of Flowers. Her family moved to Los Angeles in 1957. Her soprano singing earned her a scholarship to attend the University of Southern California. She later became an Ikette in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, leaving after she was injured in a bus accident in 1966. Clark also was lead dancer on tour with Little Richard and Dusty Springfield. She became a regular singer and dancer on The Jim Nabors Show in 1969.
Wright, Willis and Clark first appeared together on an Andy Williams TV special in 1968. Wright's sister Darlene Love was scheduled to appear on the show, but was unable to so she asked Wright to fill in for her. Wright asked Willis and Clark to join her. She also contacted Eddie Holland, who recently left Motown Records along with Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier to form HDH Records, to watch the show.
Impressed by what he saw, Holland signed the trio to Hot Wax Records. Initially, he offered Wright a contract, but she preferred to be in a group. Holland named the act Honey Cone for a favorite flavor of ice cream. At first, group members rejected the name, but Holland prevailed, and the ladies soon embraced its distinctiveness. Although the group was based in Los Angeles, they recorded in Detroit. Most of their songs were written by General Johnson and Wright's boyfriend at the time Greg Perry.
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Honey Cone
Honey Cone is an American R&B and soul girl group. Originally formed by lead singer Edna Wright (sister of Darlene Love) with Carolyn Willis and Shelly Clark in 1968. They are known for their number-one Billboard Hot 100 single, "Want Ads". Honey Cone were the premier female group for Hot Wax Records, operated by Holland–Dozier–Holland after they had departed from Motown Records.
As of 2024, Honey Cone has reunited with founding member Shelly Clark leading the fold with two new members Kathy Merrick and Wendy Smith-Brune.
The trio each had previous professional singing experience with various groups and in the studio before forming Honey Cone in 1968.
Edna Wright, a Los Angeles native, grew up singing in the church. Her father, Bishop J.W. Wright, was a pastor at King's Holiness Chapel in Los Angeles. She began her career in a gospel group called The COGIC (Church of God in Christ) singers in 1960. Through her sister, singer Darlene Love, she met producer Phil Spector. Jack Nitzsche, an associate of Spector, produced her first feature recording in 1964. Wright sang lead on "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" by Hale and the Hushabyes which was a pseudonym for a group that included Brian Wilson, Sonny & Cher, Jackie DeShannon. That year she released her debut solo single "A Touch of Venus," which led to a nationwide nightclub tour. Between 1964 and 1967, Wright recorded as Sandy Wynns. She then became a backing vocalist for the Righteous Brothers, Johnny Rivers then for Ray Charles who asked her to join the Raelettes.
Carolyn Willis began singing at the age of 16, she was a member of the girl group the Girlfriends. They released one single, "My One and Only Jimmy Boy" (No. 49 Pop), on Colpix Records in 1963. She also did some session work with Lou Rawls, O.C. Smith, and Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans. Willis and Wright were also members of Darlene Love's group The Blossoms.
Shelly Clark, a native of Brooklyn, began her career at the young age of six. Along with her older brother. they released an album on Columbia Records titled Calypso Songs For Children (1957). At the age of 7, Clark appeared in the hit Broadway musical House of Flowers. Her family moved to Los Angeles in 1957. Her soprano singing earned her a scholarship to attend the University of Southern California. She later became an Ikette in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, leaving after she was injured in a bus accident in 1966. Clark also was lead dancer on tour with Little Richard and Dusty Springfield. She became a regular singer and dancer on The Jim Nabors Show in 1969.
Wright, Willis and Clark first appeared together on an Andy Williams TV special in 1968. Wright's sister Darlene Love was scheduled to appear on the show, but was unable to so she asked Wright to fill in for her. Wright asked Willis and Clark to join her. She also contacted Eddie Holland, who recently left Motown Records along with Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier to form HDH Records, to watch the show.
Impressed by what he saw, Holland signed the trio to Hot Wax Records. Initially, he offered Wright a contract, but she preferred to be in a group. Holland named the act Honey Cone for a favorite flavor of ice cream. At first, group members rejected the name, but Holland prevailed, and the ladies soon embraced its distinctiveness. Although the group was based in Los Angeles, they recorded in Detroit. Most of their songs were written by General Johnson and Wright's boyfriend at the time Greg Perry.