Quiet Elegance
| Quiet Elegance | |
|---|---|
| Origin |
Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| Genres | Soul, Southern soul, R&B |
| Years active | 1971–1977 |
| Labels | Hi Records |
| Associated acts | The Temptations, Al Green, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck |
Quiet Elegance were an American female singing group founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1971. The group toured extensively as backing singers and also recorded a number of Soul and Southern soul music singles during the 1970s. Two albums of their songs were released after they disbanded in 1977.
Quiet Elegance comprised Mildred “Millie” Vaney, Lois Reeves, who is the sister of Martha Reeves, and Frances Yvonne “Frankie” Gearing. Mildred Vaney was also known as Mildred Scott. Both Gearing and Vaney had previously sung with The Glories, and Vaney had also sung with the Pilgrim Female Gospel Singers, The Sermonettes and the jazz group Bobby Dilworth & the Blazers. Gearing was the lead singer of the group and as well as her work with The Glories had previously also sung with the Laddins and the Steinways. Gearing’s brother is the late guitarist Johnny Starr, who worked with Jackie Wilson and Little Richard.
The group were managed by and toured with The Temptations, with Gearing being engaged to the Temptations’ Dennis Edwards. In 1972, while appearing with The Temptations in Memphis, Tennessee, they were spotted by Willie Mitchell who signed them to Hi Records, based in Memphis. While with Hi Records they were managed and produced by Willie Mitchell and Dan Greer and toured with Al Green as a backing group. They also toured globally with Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck. Between 1972 and 1977 the group recorded a number of singles for Hi Records. The single You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up peaked at number 54 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart in 1973. Quiet Elegance disbanded in 1977 when their contract with Hi Records came to an end. Lois Reeves re-joined her sister Martha as one of the Vandellas. Vaney went on to perform as one half of Cut Glass, the other half being Orthea Barnes, sister of J. J. Barnes. She surfaced later in the 1980s as Millie Scott and released a number of singles and two albums on the 4th & Broadway label. Gearing made some solo recordings with Beale Street Records in 1978, shortly after leaving Hi Records. She then returned to her home town of St Petersburg and worked full-time, but continued singing in the clubs and concert halls there, as well as acting as a carer to her ailing grandmother and mother. She also took to acting, and appeared in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, playing Miss Mona’s maid.
...
Wikipedia