The Velvelettes

The Velvelettes
The Velvelettes (from left to right: Sandra Tilley, Carolyn Gill, and Annette McMillan)
Background information
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, United States
Genres	R&B, pop, soul
Years active	1961–1970
Labels	VIP (Motown)
Associated acts	Martha and the Vandellas, The Marvelettes, The Supremes
Past members	Carolyn Gill* Mildred Gill* Bertha Barbee* Norma Barbee* Betty Kelly* Annette McMillan Sandra Tilley *Original members

The Velvelettes were an American singing girl group, signed to Motown in the 1960s.

The group was founded in 1961 by Bertha Barbee McNeal and Mildred Gill Arbor, students at Western Michigan University. Mildred recruited her younger sister Carolyn (also known as Cal or Caldin), who was in 9th grade, and Cal's friend Betty Kelley, a junior in high school. Bertha recruited her cousin Norma Barbee, a freshman at Flint Junior College. Cal was chosen as the group's lead singer.

A classmate at Western Michigan University, Robert Bullock, was Berry Gordy's nephew, and he encouraged the group to audition for Motown Records. The group signed to Motown in late 1962 and started recording in January 1963. They recorded at the Hitsville USA studio and "There He Goes" and "That's The Reason Why" produced by William Stevenson was released as a single via the IPG Records label (Independent Producers Group). The recordings included a young Stevie Wonder playing harmonica. While the group awaited their chance at stardom, they recorded for many producers, some of which were re-recorded by other artists including fellow labelmates Martha and the Vandellas and The Supremes. The Velvelettes were not used to provide backing vocals since Motown already had its in-house backing group, The Andantes.

The Velvelettes got their break chartwise in the spring of 1964 thanks to young producer Norman Whitfield, who produced "Needle In A Haystack" as a single for the group, on Motown's VIP Records imprint. "Needle In A Haystack" peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 in mid 1964. The group recorded its follow-up, "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'", with Whitfield again producing, and spent time on various Motown-sponsored tours as a support act. In September 1964, after recording "Dancing In The Street" earlier in June, Betty Kelley officially left the group to join Martha and the Vandellas, and the quintet became a quartet.