Minnie Riperton

In addition to her musical legacy, Minnie Riperton is survived by her daughter, Maya Rudolph, a current cast member of Saturday Night Live. Singles. She died in 1979 at the age of only 31 and was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. Compilations. She became an active spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society and was awarded the Society Courage Award from President Jimmy Carter. Standard albums. Riperton was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy in 1976. On February 4, 2000, Coley lost a battle with breast cancer (age 58). The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.

Stevie Wonder agreed to produce her 1974 album, Perfect Angel, featuring Lovin' You, a ballad to her two-year old daughter Maya. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Minnie sang lead vocals for several small, unsucessful bands before teaming up with her husband, composer Richard Rudolph, to start her solo career. In 1982, they disbanded when Harris succumbed to a heart attack (age 42). However, her affiliation with the famous Chess Records record label soon allowed her to sing backup for Etta James, Fontella Bass, and Stevie Wonder. In 1975, she returned only to replace Owens who departed to begin a solo career. As a child, Minnie studied music, drama, and dance, and seriously considered a career in opera. In 1968, Coley left the group to devote her time to her family, and the group continued as a trio.

She scored her greatest commercial success with the memorable one-hit wonder Lovin' You, a soulful pop ballad that showcased her amazing five-octave vocal range, as well as her ability to hit an F6 note in the whistle register. In spite of a lack of hits after the early 1960s, the Shirelles continued recording for a small but devoted audience well into the 1970s and continued to tour and perform into the early 1980s. The only soul singer to rival her range is Mariah Carey. Their "Sha La La" became an international hit when covered by the British group Manfred Mann, and "Boys" was covered by the Beatles (Ringo Starr singing lead). Her highest recorded note is F#7 in You Take My Breath Away, but not only did she sing many songs going into the seventh octave, it is well rumored that she could hit a C8 (two full octaves above soprano C or C6). The quartet formed in New Jersey, and went on to release a string of hits including "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", "Baby It's You", "Soldier Boy", "Dedicated to the One I Love", and "Mama Said". About fifteen percent of soprano have the ability to access the lower reaches of the whistle register, but Minnie was capable of not only accessing the seventh octave, she had the ability (sheer muscular control) to execute trills, runs, and other vocal acrobatics in the seventh octave. The members of the quartet were Shirley Owens (who was the lead singer for the most part), Doris Coley, Beverly Lee, and Addie "Micki" Harris.

Minnie Riperton (November 8, 1947 - July 12, 1979) is a soul singer from Chicago, Illinois. The Shirelles were an influential American girl group in the early 1960s. 1967: "Last Minute Miracle" (US #99). 1965: "Are You Still My Baby" (US #91). 1964: "Maybe Tonight" (US #88).

1964: "Thank You Baby" (US #63). 1964: "Sha-La-La" (US #69). 1964: "Tonight You're Gonna Fall in Love With Me" (US #57). 1963: "What Does a Girl Do?" (US #53).

1963: "31 Flavors" (US #97). 1963: "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (US #92). 1963: "Not for All the Money in the World" (US #100). 1963: "Don't Say Goodnight and Mean Goodbye" (US #26).

1963: "Foolish Little Girl" (US #4). 1963: "Everybody Loves a Lover" (US #19). 1962: "It's Love that Really Counts (in the Long Run)" (US #102). 1962: "Stop the Music" (US #36).

1962: "Welcome Home Baby" (US #22). 1962: "Soldier Boy" (US #1). 1962: "The Things I Want to Hear (Pretty Words)" (US #107). 1962: "Baby It's You" (US #8).

1961: "Big John" (US #21). 1961: "A Thing of the Past" (US #41). 1961: "What a Sweet Thing That Was" (US #54). 1961: "Mama Said" (US #4).

1961: "Dedicated to the One I Love" (US #3; rerelease of 1959 hit). 1961: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (US #1, UK #4). 1960: "Tonight's the Night" (US #39). 1959: "Dedicated to the One I Love" (US #83).

1958: "I Met Him on a Sunday (Ronde Ronde)" (US #49). 1972: Remember When. 2. 1967: Greatest Hits, Vol.