The Mirettes??? Who? Let me splain, Lucy.

I love all girl groups!  From The Andrews Sisters in the 1940s up to K-pop sensation BLACKPINK in 2025 and all of the girl groups in between. I am drawn to a group of girl singers like...well...like a gay guy. I guess it’s a thing. 

For this section I’m going to focus on a few of the -ettes, mixed in with some of those groups that Ian Levine got his hands on. Levine is a British producer who loves Northern soul, Motown, girl groups and female singers either remaking some of their biggest hits to an up-tempo beat and/or recording some of his own frothy compositions. - all on the Motorcity label. (Collectors love Motown and Motorcity!) 

This is just a tip of the iceberg when it comes to the girl groups in my collection, but right now I’m focusing on: 

THE VELVELETTES

The Velvelettes are a perfect example of a Motown girl-group, re-discovered and recorded by Ian Levine, doing covers of their few hits and 80's Levine dance songs. They didn't have a full length LP on Motown, but luckily their tracks were released on CD. And they did do an LP and some 12" singles with Levine - which you can see that I've collected and diligently kept near-pristine.

Here are The Velvelettes in a vintage clip of "Needle in a Haystack" - #45 Pop, #31 R&B

And another vintage Velvelettes clip singing "He Was Really Saying Something". #64 Pop, #21 R&B - Bananarama, say Thank You! to the V's since their version reached #5 in the UK.

The Velvelettes doing an updated version of "He Was Really Saying Something" during the Ian Levine Years 

THE ROYALETTES

The Royalettes actually released three LP's and one of them is a shared LP with the Velvelettes. "It's Going to Take a Miracle" #41 Pop, #21 R&B in 1965. Deniece Williams says Thank You to reach #1 R&B and #10 Pop with the same song. We've got to give these original ladies their props though!

Rare footage of the Royalettes singing the B-side of "It's Going to Take a Miracle". The song is "Out of Sight, Out of Mind", it didn't chart and I wonder why it was even performed on television? Maybe they hadn't recorded anything else yet?

THE ELGINS

Although The Royalettes were neither Motown, nor recorded by Ian Levine (that I know of). Ian Levine DID dig up Motown group the Elgins. I know... they are not an -ettes and technically not an all-girl group, but they do have some common ground with the others in sound and remakes. The Elgins in 1966 reached #50 Pop and #9 R&B - and then #3 when the song was re-released in 1971. Again, another artist, Bonnie Pointer, took the song top 10 on the dance charts and #11 Pop in 1979. Those Motown and girl-group nuggets are ripe for remake pickin'! Vintage performance of The Elgins.

In my collection I do have The Elgins only Motown LP (notice no artists are featured on the cover) along with their Ian Levine LP (and their 12" singles) and the very nice CD of all (or majority of their Motown work). Rediscovery can be such a boost in the arm for these performers And the UK has a soft spot for them!

THE IKETTES

Moving on with -ettes, I've got to share one of my favorites from my mom's box of 45's. "I'm Blue" by The Ikettes was just a great tune with that "gong-gong-gong-gong ..." hook and I didn't realize until much later that they were Ike and Tina Turner back-up singers. The members changed often and I have some of their vinyl with different members. Ian Levine never got near them. Ike might have been standing guard.

Here are the Ikettes in 1962 with their #3 R&B and #19 Pop song "I'm Blue". And I have no idea whether the girls shown here are the girls that actually sang it on the record. The Ikettes were as interchangeable as the members of Phil Spector's groups. (Sorry, Darlene; you deserved better)

THE MIRETTES

Speaking of interchangeable, The Mirettes was simply a name used for a chosen (and maybe alternating) group of girls that were Ikettes. They had some cool album covers! Surprisingly (or not) there is a dearth of video footage of The Mirettes performing. But here's a vintage clip of their 1966 recording "He's All Right With Me"

The biggest hit for The Mirettes was a remake of "In the Midnight Hour" - #45 Pop, #18 R&B. No video or TV performances for that one. And you know who I blame. So here's a song of theirs with a title that fits Mr. T.

EASTBOUND EXPRESSWAY

No Motown connection, no 60's girl group history, but a pure Ian Levine concoction of girl group 80's dance glam. Ian never disappoints with the photo shoot covers and big hair. I have all of their 12" singles, mostly for the covers alone. For some reason, one of the girls is giving me strong LaToya Jackson vibes. Kudos to Ian for helping these ladies to two top 20 dance hits. Here's "Knock Me Senseless" which reached #19 Dance in 1987.

THREE OUNCES OF LOVE

One Motown album (no artists pictured), no TV or performance footage I can find, and one charted hit "Star Love" (#87 R&B in 1978).

But leave it to Ian Levine. He had them record an upbeat "Newsy Neighbors" in 1991 - a remake originally done (excellently) by First Choice.  Thanks again, Ian, for the rediscoveries and for the picture sleeves!