In 1979 The Jones Girls "You Gonna Make Me Love
Somebody Else" showed Gamble and Huff still had the magic touch. The
classic went top ten on Billboards' R&B and Disco Charts. However, lead
singer Shirley Jones and sisters Brenda and Valorie were not new to the game.
Gospel singer Mary Frazier Jones groomed her daughters unique harmonies when
they were babies in their hometown Detroit. By the time Shirley and her sisters
signed with Philadelphia International Records, they were teenage veterans.
The
Jones Girls traveled the world for several years as fellow Detroiter Diana
Ross' back up singers. Ross even let the girls shine with their own spot where
they sang "If I Ever Lose This Heaven". Diana Ross told Gamble and
Huff The Jones Girls were too good to be anybody's back-up singers forever.
Those Philly years provided Shirley and her sisters with a string of hits. They
include "Who Can I Run To", "I Just Love The Man",
"Dance Turned Into A Romance" and their Grammy-Nominated classic
"Nights Over Egypt". After a brief unsuccessful stay at RCA Records, the Jones Girls decided to take a hiatus. Brenda got married and Valorie
entered college. But Shirley still wanted to sing. She returned to Philadelphia
International Records in 1985 as a solo artist. Shirleys' 1986 Debut album
"Always In The Mood" proved she could handle the spotlight alone. Her
1986 classic "Do You Get Enough Love" stayed number one on Billboards
R&B Chart for Three weeks!!!" Do You Get Enough Love" proved to be
prophetic.
Shirley married and started a new career raising her son Cameron. He
is now 26 and over 6'7" tall. Shirley has already hit the stage again
touring with The O'Jays in 2011, Lakeside, Zapp and Confunkshun. Recently
Shirley appeared in London at the famed Indigo 2 to a sold out crowd, along
with Jean Carne and Gwen McCrae. Her current single Because You Love Me
released in Europe on December 12th 2014 on Expansion is already a top ten
record. Shirleys New Album My Time To Shine will be released in October 2015,
It contains a duet with the late, great Mel Waiters and a remake of I'm At Your
Mercy, a Jones Gils classic, super duet with Lacee. Shirley will surely
entertain you Old school style with class and superb musicianship. Take a trip
down memory lane with Shirley and the songs she and her sisters made famous, a
time of Love and just pure fun. ~ CD Universe
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