The Cookies

:"This article is about the U.S. pop group. For the Hong Kong pop group, see Cookies (group).Infobox musical artist
Name = The Cookies


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Origin = Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States
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Genre = R&B
Pop
Soul
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Years_active = 1953 – 1958;
1962 – 1967
Label = Lamp/Aladdin Records
Atlantic Records
Dimension Records
Associated_acts = The Raelettes
Ray Charles
URL =
Current_members =
Past_members = Dorothy McCrea
Margie Hendricks
Ethel "Earl-Jean" McCrea
Pat Lyles
Dorothy Jones
Beulah Robertson
Margaret Ross
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The Cookies were an American R&B girl group in the 1950s to 1960s. Members of the original lineup would later become The Raelettes, the backing vocalists for Ray Charles.

History

Formed in 1954 in Brooklyn, New York, The Cookies' membership originally consisted of Dorothy Jones, Darlene McCrea and Dorothy's cousin, Beulah Roberton. Robertson was replaced in 1956 by Margie Hendricks. The group was introduced to Ray Charles through their session work for Atlantic Records. After backing him and other Atlantic Records artists, Darlene and Margie helped form The Raelettes in 1958.

econd lineup

In 1961, a new version of the Cookies emerged in New York, with Dorothy Jones joining newcomers Ethel "Earl-Jean" McCrea [Darlene's younger sister] and another of Dorothy's cousins, Margaret Ross. Jones also recorded one solo recording for Columbia in 1961. This trio had the greatest success as the Cookies, under their own name, as backing vocals for other artists, and recording demos for Aldon Music, under the direction of Carole King and Gerry Goffin. They scored their biggest hit in 1963 with the song "Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)", which reached #3 on the Billboard R&B chart and #7 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart.

A 1963 hit, 'Chains', was later recorded by The Beatles. Earl-Jean left the group in 1965 after two solo singles, which included the first recording of the Goffin/King song'I'm Into Something Good'.

In April 1967 they released their last record, produced by The Tokens. Darlene McCrea returned to replace her sister for this recording.

Members

Original lineup

1954-56

*Dorothy Jones
*Darlene McCrea
*Beulah Robertson 1956-58

Dorothy JonesDarlene McCreaMargie Hendricks

1961-64

Dorothy JonesEthel "Earl Jean" McCreaMargaret Ross

1964-67

Dorothy JonesDarlene McCreaMargaret Ross

Discography

*"In Paradise" (#9 R&B hit, 1956)
*"Chains" (#17 pop charts, 1962)
*"Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)" (#3 R&B charts, #7 pop charts, 1963)
*"Girls Grow Up Faster Than Boys" (#33 R&B charts, #33 pop charts, 1963)

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0zfrxqu5ld6e~T0 The Cookies] on Allmusic
* [http://www.history-of-rock.com/cookies.htm The Cookies] on [http://www.history-of-rock.com history-of-rock.com]
* [http://www.last.fm/music/The+Cookies/+wiki The Cookies] on [http://www.last.fm last.fm]