The Flirtations

The Flirtations started out as the Gypsies in 1962 in New York. The Members were Lestine Johnson and sisters: Ernestine, Shirley, and Betty Pearce.
In 1964 they released their debut single, "Hey there, Hey There" under the Old Town Records. This song got some airplay on local radio stations. The single, "Jerk it", written by J.J. Jackson made it to 111 on the pop charts. After the release of "Jerk it" Lestine Johnson left the group and was replaced by Viola Billups.
The group then became the Flirtations and signed to Josie Records. They released "Change My Darkness Into Light", which despite being ignored by DJs still became a Northern Soul Classic. The group then moved to Festival Records, and released "Stronger Than Her Love" and "Settle Down". Both got little interest.
 The Flirtations became a trio after Betty Pearce left the group. They trio decided to try their luck in England. The group signed to Parrot Records in 1966 and toured with Tom Jones Their only Parrot release was "Someone Out There", which reached the UK Bubbling Under list, but made it to #25 in the Netherlands.
In 1966 they signed to Deram Records and released "Nothing But Heartache". "Nothing But Heartache" made to #1 on the Bubbling Under list  It was reissued in the US in 1969 and made it to #93 on Billboards Hot 100 and #20 in  several Us markets, in Boston It peaked at #3.
The follow-up was less of a dance tune than the previous single. "South Carolina" was a ballad that reached only #111 pop in July 1969. In 1970, "Keep On Searching" was released and did nothing. However, this may have been due to confusion over whether the newest single was "Searching" or "What's Good About Goodbye My Love". The latter rocketed to #17 R&B in early 1970, but failed to make a dent in the pop charts. In July 1970 the trio scored another hit with "Can't Stop Loving You". The song made #96 in CashBox.
1971 saw their sixth and last Deram single, "Give Me Love"Not originally in their 1970 LP Sounds Like the Flirtations, but subsequntly added to their 2008 CD version, it did not do well in the charts. The rest of their singles were not released in the U.S. Loretta Noble replaced Viola Billups in 1972. Viola Billups embarked on a solo career as Vie and asPearly Gates.During 1971 & 1972, the group were the resident vocal band on the long running BBC TV series Its Cliff Richards.
Throughout the 1970s the Flirtations released material on various labels. The Flirtations have received recognition in the Disco and Northern Soul Circuits.

 

 

 

Barbara Acklin

Barbara Jean Acklin was born February 28, 1943, in Oakland, California. Acklin's family moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1948. By the age of eleven she was a soloist in the New Zion Baptist Church and as a teenage she began performing in Chicago night clubs. After high school Acklin was employed as a secretary at St. Lawrence Records. Her first record was produced by her cousin Monk Higgins and release on the Special Agent Label under the name Barbara Allen. Barbara Acklin can also be heard singing background for Chess Records artists Etta James, Fontella Bass, and Koko Taylor.

In 1966 Acklin began working as a receptionist for the Brunswick Records Chicago office, where she presented producer Carl Davis with demos of her own songs. Acklin helped co wrote a song with David Scott, of the Five Du-Tones, for Jackie Wilson, who later helped her get a recording contract with Brunswick. Although Acklin's first two singles on Brunswick were unsuccessful, her third single, "show me the way", a duet with Gene Chandler made it to the R&B Charts. Acklin then began writing songs with Eugene Record of the Chi-Lites. The pair co wrote the hit "Two Little Kids" for Peaches and Herb. Barbara Acklin's biggest solo hit, "Love Makes A Woman", was co written by Record and Davis. Acklin had a slew of hits on Brunswick for several years and carried on co writing with Eugene record. Together they wrote "Have you Seen Her" for The Chi-Lites.

In 1974 Acklin Moved to Capital Records, where her first and biggest hit "Raindrops" stayed on the R&B charts for six years. All recordings, which followed had little success causing Brunswick to  drop her. 

Acklin later lived in Omaha, Nebraska where she began working on a new album, when she died of  pneumonia at age 55.