The Ikettes
| The Ikettes | |
|---|---|
| Genres | rhythm and blues |
| Occupation(s) | Backing vocalists, Girl group |
| Years active | 1960–1974; 1990s |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts | Ike & Tina Turner, Ike Turner, The Mirettes |
| Past members | Robbie Montgomery Frances Hodges Sandra Harding Delores Johnson Eloise Hester Jo Armstead Jessie Smith Venetta Fields Janice Singleton (Hughes) Diane Rutherford Marquentta Tinsley Pat Arnold (a.k.a. P. P. Arnold) Juanita Hixson Gloria Scott Maxine Smith Pat Powdrill Ann Thomas Shelly Clark Rose Smith Paulette Parker Stonye Figueroa Ester Jones Falisha Walls Jeanette Bazzell Randi Love a.k.a. Michelle Love Stonye Figueroa Audrey Madison-Turner See members section for others |
| The Mirettes | |
|---|---|
| Genres | rhythm and blues |
| Occupation(s) | girl group |
| Years active | 1966–1971 |
| Labels |
|
| Associated acts | The Ikettes |
| Members | Robbie Montgomery, Venetta Fields, Jessie Smith, Pat Powdrill |
The Ikettes were a trio (sometimes quartet) of female backing vocalists for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Despite their origins, the Ikettes became successful artists in their own right, with hits in the early- and mid-1960s. Mostly unheralded, they were arguably one of the ten top R&B female groups of all time.
The group started as the Artettes, the backing group of Art Lassiter. The first official incarnation of The Ikettes was composed of Robbie Montgomery, Venetta Fields, and Jessie Smith; Ike never paid them much, which caused their lineup to change frequently, and they never received royalties. The original trio of Ikettes later morphed into the Mirettes.
In 1960, when Art Lassiter didn't show up for a recording session, Ike Turner took Lassiter's backup singers, the Artettes — Robbie Montgomery, Frances Hodges, and Sandra Harding — and had them accompany Tina Turner on her first recording, "A Fool in Love". The hit single propelled Ike to form the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, but with a new group of backup singers: Delores Johnson, Eloise Hester, and Jo Armstead. (Montgomery was pregnant and unable to tour.)
Montgomery rejoined the Revue shortly after having her baby, and teamed with Jessie Smith, and eventually Venetta Fields, to form the first official incarnation of The Ikettes. They cut "I'm Blue (The Gong-Gong Song)" the following year. Ike produced the record and leased it to Atco Records, who issued three less successful Ikettes singles in 1962. The following year, Ike switched them to his Teena record label for two singles: "Crazy in Love" (credited as Robbie Montgomery & the Ikettes) and "Prisoner in Love". "Here's Your Heart" came out on Innis in 1964 but failed to go national; nor did a Phi-Dan single in 1965.
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