Dorothy Jones

Dorothy Jones. (b. May 16^th, 1934 – December 25, 2010). Vocalist & founding member of American R&B group, The Cookies.

She also recorded independently with Carole King, Bernadette Castro, The Drifters, Neil Sedaka, Tony Orlando, Len Barry, Little Eva, Eydie Gorme, LaVerne Baker, Freddie Scott, Beverly Warren and Bobby Harris.

The Cookies were an American R&B girl group in the 1950s to 1960s. Members of the original lineup would later become the Raelettes, the backing vocalists for Ray Charles.

History

Formed in 1954 in Brooklyn, New York, the Cookies' membership originally consisted of Dorothy Jones, Darlene McCrea and Dorothy's cousin, Beulah Robertson. Robertson was replaced in 1956 by Margie Hendricks (Hendrix). The group was introduced to Ray Charles through their session work for Atlantic Records. After backing him and other Atlantic Records artists, McCrea and Hendricks helped form the Raelettes in 1958. (Pat Lyles was a Raelette, but never a Cookie.)

Second lineup

In 1961, a new version of the Cookies emerged in New York, with Dorothy Jones joining newcomers Earl-Jean McCrea (Darlene's younger sister) and another of Dorothy's cousins, Margaret Ross. Jones also recorded one solo recording for Columbia in 1961. This trio had the greatest success as the Cookies: under their own name; as backing vocals for other artists, including Neil Sedaka's hit songs "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do", "The Dreamer" and "Bad Girl"; and recording demos for Aldon Music, under the direction of Carole King and Gerry Goffin. They provided the backup vocals for the Little Eva hit song, "The Loco-Motion", as well as her follow-up hit "Let's Turkey Trot", both from 1962; and for Mel Tormé's hit version of "Comin' Home Baby". They scored their biggest hit in 1963 with the song "Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)", which reached #3 on the Billboard R&B chart and #7 on the Billboard Pop chart.

A 1962 hit, "Chains", was later recorded by the Beatles. Earl-Jean McCrea left the group in 1965 after two solo singles, which included the first recording of the Goffin/King song, "I'm Into Something Good".

The Cookies also released several recordings under pseudonyms, mostly with Margaret Ross on lead. Their alter egos on recordings were the Palisades (Chairman), the Stepping Stones (Philips), the Cinderellas (Dimension) and the Honey Bees (Fontana 1939 only).

In April 1967 they released their last record, produced by the Tokens. Darlene McCrea returned to replace her sister for this recording.

Dorothy Jones died on Christmas Day 2010, from complications of Alzheimer's disease, in Columbus, Ohio, at the age of 76.

Margaret Ross, now Margaret Williams, tours today as the Cookies with new back-up singers. She also performs with Barbara Harris and the Toys occasionally.

Darlene McCrea died February 4, 2013.

Members

Personnel

• Dorothy Jones - 1954-1958, 1961-1967
• "Ethel" Darlene McCrea - 1954-1958, 1964-1967
• Beulah Robertson - 1954-1956
• Margie Hendricks - 1956-1958
• Earl-Jean McCrea - 1961-1964
• Margaret Ross - 1961-1967

Dorothy, Beulah and Margaret were first cousins. Their respective mothers were sisters.

Discography

• "In Paradise" b/w "Passing Time" (Atlantic 45-2079) 1960
• "Chains" b/w "Stranger in my Arms" (Dimension 1002) (#17 U.S. Pop, 1962, UK #50, 1963)
• "Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)" b/w "Softly in the Night" (Dimension 1008) (#3 U.S R&B, #7 U.S. Pop, 1963)
• "Will Power" b/w "I Want a Boy for my Birthday" (Dimension 1012) 1963
• "Girls Grow Up Faster Than Boys" b/w "Only To Other People" (Dimension 1020) (#33 U.S. R&B, #33 U.S. Pop, 1963)
• "I Never Dreamed" b/w "The Old Crowd" (Dimension 1032) 1964

Discography as backup singers

• Drown In My Own Tears, Ray Charles, 1955
• Corrine Corrina, Big Joe Turner, 1956
• It’s Too Late, Chuck Willis, 1956
• Lonely Avenue, Ray Charles, 1956