En Vogue

At the end of the year, En Vogue's holiday album The Gift Of Christmas appeared. "Jersey Boys," a musical play based on the lives of The Four Seasons, is running at the La Jolla (California) Playhouse through January 2, 2005 and is headed for Broadway. Meanwhile, Robinson's first solo CD Dawn was released in early 2002. The Four Seasons were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. The next year, "Masterpiece Theater" came out. The partnership continues to this day. The group's first compilation, The Best Of En Vogue, came to be in the summer of 1999. The band name is also the name of a legal partnership, The 4 Seasons Partnership, that Valli and Gaudio entered into at the start of their careers, agreeing to split all the proceeds from their musical efforts 50-50.

Before it was issued in 1997, they contributed one of the CD's tracks "Don't Let Go (Love)" to the "Set It Off" soundtrack, which became a #2 single. The band would, however, enjoy a brief revival in their popularity in the mid 1970s, with the hits "Who Loves You", "Swearin' to God", and "December, 1963 (Oh What a Night)". The rest over En Vogue went on to record EV3. By the end of the decade, however, the group's popularity was deteriorating, as public interest moved towards rock with a harder edge and more socially conscious lyrics. Dissatisfied with the treatment of the group's props and royalties, Robinson left the group for a solo career in 1996, but she joined Tony! Toni! Toné!'s Raphael Saadiq and A Tribe Called Quest's Ali Shaheed Muhammad to form the group Lucy Pearl before that. In the mid 1960s, the British Invasion slowed down their career somewhat, but the Four Seasons released several more big hits in 1964, such as "Dawn", "Rag Doll", "Big Man in Town", "Ronnie" and "Save It for Me". Ellis made her solo debut with the release of "Southern Gal" in 1995. The Four Seasons followed up "Sherry" with several well-remembered hits, including "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Walk Like a Man" and "Candy Girl".

The group took a three-year recess from recording as a group before their next LP would come out. After many more personnel changes, the band still tours today, but Valli is the only original member left. The group made a television guest appearance on an episode of the series "A Different World" and played hookers in the 1995 film Batman Forever. Massi left the band in 1965 and was briefly replaced by arranger Charles Calello before Joe Long became a mainstay on bass for the next 10 years. They struck an endorsement deal to be in a Sprite commercial, won awards at the Soul Train and Lady of Soul Awards shows. Lead singer Frankie Valli began recording in 1953, but the group (Valli, Bob Gaudio on keyboards, Tommy DeVito on lead guitar, and Nick Massi on bass), which formed in 1960, didn't release their first hit until 1962, with "Sherry", produced by Bob Crewe. En Vogue opened doors for future girl groups as the first black female New Jack R&B group to appear on the front cover of Vogue magazine. The Four Seasons are an American pop and doo wop group, distinct from many similar groups of the 1950s and 60s in their traditional Italian-American sound.

Another LP, Runaway Love, came out that year. December 1963 (Oh What a Night). They returned to the top ten again in 1993, backing the female pop-rap trio Salt-N-Pepa on their hit "Whatta Man". Who Loves You. The first three singles, "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)", "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" (a remake of one of Aretha Franklin's songs and borrowed from Curtis Mayfield), and "Free Your Mind" (using George Clinton's chorus line with permission), all reached the top ten. Swearin' To God (Frankie Valli). Though the group is influenced mainly by the genre R&B, other influences include pop, rap, reggae, and rock. My Eyes Adored You (Frankie Valli).

The 1992 sophomore attempt "Funky Divas" was more successful than the first, going multi-platinum and garnering positive reviews. Will You Love Me Tomorrow (originally by The Shirelles). A notable feature of the group is that they all shared in singing lead, purposely designating no particular singer as the "star." Herron appeared in the film Juice (1992) between albums. C'mon Marianne. Some have compared En Vogue to The Supremes. Can't Take My Eyes Off You (Frankie Valli). A remix album, "Remix To Sing" followed later within the next year. Beggin'.

The single aided the debut album "Born To Sing", released in 1990, in going platinum. Tell It To The Rain. That first single became a crossover, pop smash hit, reaching #2 on the pop charts and making #1 on the R&B charts. I've Got You Under My Skin. But Foster had a better idea,to write and produce an original, answer song called "Hold On". Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me). The girls liked the catchy,funky beats that it made and thought it would be a great idea to sing the lyrics over them. Working My Way Back To You.

They were in Foster's car, getting warmed up as they prepared to sing "Who's Lovin' You?" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. Suddenly, Foster turned on the drum machine accidentally. Don't Think Twice (It's Allright) (The Wonder Who?). Before the work and recording of their debut album began, one day, they had a singing session. Let's Hang On. The group lived together for a while. Robinson suggested that they enter singing contests to remain active. Girl Come Running. After they found their women, the new group performed a song or two on Foster and McElroy's FM2 album. Bye Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye).

They shifted to Vogue and ultimately En Vogue after learning of another group having a very similar name. Big Man In Town. Prior to the group's official name, they were primarily called For You. Save It For Me. The two held auditions and resolved on the official membership of Herron, Jones, Robinson, and Ellis. Rag Doll. They were looking for singers who could display lasciviousness and intelligence, as well as vocal anabasis. Alone (originally by the Shepherd Sisters).

After Foster and McElroy studied various girl groups, they chose to experiment with welding the female R&B/soul group heritage with hip-hop/new jack swing rhythms. Ronnie. Their story began when the production duo brainstormed on the concept of putting together a modern-day, original R&B girl group for the 1990s. Stay (originally by Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs). The group was formed in Herron's home state, California, in 1988. Dawn (Go Away). November 28, 1968, Connecticut), and Terry Ellis (b. September 5, 1966, Texas). Marlena.

January 16, 1966, New Jersey), Dawn Robinson (b. Candy Girl. September 26, 1965, California, United States), Maxine Jones (b. Walk Like A Man. The original members were former Miss Black California Cindy Herron (b. Big Girls Don't Cry. Members of En Vogue:. Sherry.

En Vogue is an all-female new jack R&B, club/dance, and urban soul vocal quartet assembled by the hit music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy (formerly of the disco group Club Nouveau). 1996 Four Seasons with Frankie Valli. Rhona Bennett. 1995 Who Loves You. Amanda Cole. 1995 Oh What a Night. Dawn Robinson. 1994 Sing for You.

Cindy Herron. 1994 Sherry/Big Girls Don't Cry. Maxine Jones. 1993 Dance Album. Terry Ellis. 1993 The Four Seasons Dance Album. 1992 Hope & Glory.

2. 1990 Live, Vol. 1. 1990 Live, Vol.

1966 Live on Stage. 1965 The 4 Seasons Entertain You. 1964 Girls, Girls, Girls - We Love Girls. The Four Seasons.

1964 The Beatles Vs. 1964 Rag Doll. 1964 Dawn (Go Away) and 11 Other Great Songs. 1964 Born to Wander.