Shelly Clark (born July 27, 1947) is an American singer, dancer and actress, best known as a founding member of the 1970s R&B girls group,

Honey Cone Honey Cone was an American R&B and soul girl group formed by lead singer Edna Wright (sister of Darlene Love) with Carolyn Willis and Shelly Clark in 1968. They are best remembered for their number-one ''Billboard'' Hot 100 single, "Want Ads" ...

who had the No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit single, "

Want Ads "Want Ads" is a song that was a million-selling #1 pop and R&B hit recorded by female group, Honey Cone for their second album '' Sweet Replies'' and also appears on their third album ''Soulful Tapestry''. The song on the Detroit-based Hot Wax ...

" released in March 1971.

Early life

Shelly was born Mashelle Clark in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York on July 27, 1947. Her mother Lilly Gainen-Clark a

Russian Jew The history of the Jews in Russia and areas historically connected with it goes back at least 1,500 years. Jews in Russia have historically constituted a large religious and ethnic diaspora; the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest pop ...

was a concert pianist. Her father Edward Evans Clark from

Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...

was a self taught dancer singer and entertainer. Clark had an older brother Ilya Clark who was born in 1945. The family moved from Brooklyn to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, California in 1957.

Career

Early career

Clark began her career as a dancer, singer and actress at age 6. At age 7 she and her brother were cast in the hit

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

musical '' House of Flowers'' which starred

Pearl Bailey Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American actress, singer and author. After appearing in vaudeville, she made her Broadway debut in '' St. Louis Woman'' in 1946. She received a Special Tony Award for the title role i ...

and

Diahann Carroll Diahann Carroll (; born Carol Diann Johnson; July 17, 1935 – October 4, 2019) was an American actress, singer, model, and activist. She rose to prominence in some of the earliest major studio films to feature black casts, including ''Car ...

. The musical ran every night for 8 months. Clark and her brother were known as The Clark Kids. Their father became their dance trainer and manager. In 1957, The Clark Kids were signed to

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

as Elia and Michele Clark. They recorded an album entitled ''Calypso Songs For Children''. In 1957, 9-year-old Clark was cast as part of the

Cotton Club The Cotton Club was a New York City nightclub from 1923 to 1940. It was located on 142nd Street and Lenox Avenue (1923–1936), then briefly in the midtown Theater District (1936–1940).Elizabeth Winter"Cotton Club of Harlem (1923- )" Blac ...

Revue of 1957. In the revue, she sang the song "Evalina" and shared the stage with

Cab Calloway Cabell Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, conductor and dancer. He was associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he was a regular performer and became a popular vocalist ...

. Clark was the youngest performer in the cast and the youngest to perform at Palace Theatre and

The Apollo The Apollo Theater is a music hall at 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (Seventh Avenue) and Frederick Douglass Boulevard (Eighth Avenue) in the Harlem neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City. It is a n ...

in New York. The Cotton Club Revue was a 7-month national tour. While attending the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

on a scholarship for talented singers, Clark worked as a

session vocalist Session may refer to: Bureaucracy and law *Session (parliamentary procedure) * Session (Presbyterian), a governing body in Presbyterian polity * Court of Session, the supreme civil court of Scotland *Executive session, a portion of the United St ...

to make some extra money. During this time Clark was asked to audition for the

Ike & Tina Turner Ike & Tina Turner were an American musical duo consisting of husband and wife Ike Turner and Tina Turner. From 1960 to 1976, they performed live as the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, supported by Ike Turner's band the Kings of Rhythm and backing vocal ...

Revue in 1966. The audition took place at her home and she was hired on the spot to be an Ikette. Although, Clark never recorded as an Ikette, she did perform with the Revue until a near fatal bus crash in

Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. The Wichita metro area had ...

. While Clark was recuperating, new Ikettes were hired and the tour continued without her. After recuperating, Clark was hired as lead dancer to tour with the

Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the " ...

Revue. She also recorded and toured with various artist, including

Dusty Springfield Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known professionally as Dusty Springfield, was an English singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano sound, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, Pop music, p ...

on her Canadian tour, and with

Bill Medley William Thomas Medley (born September 19, 1940) is an American singer and songwriter, best known as one half of The Righteous Brothers. He is noted for his bass-baritone voice, exemplified in songs such as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'". Med ...

in Las Vegas. Clark was a featured singer on the recording "

MacArthur Park MacArthur Park (originally Westlake Park) is a park dating back to the late 19th century in the Westlake, Los Angeles, Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles. In the early 1940s, it was renamed after General Douglas MacArthur, and later designated ...

" by

Richard Harris Richard St John Francis Harris (1 October 1930 – 25 October 2002) was an Irish actor and singer. He appeared on stage and in many films, notably as Corrado Zeller in Michelangelo Antonioni's '' Red Desert'', Frank Machin in '' This Sporting ...

. She also performed with Tom Jones.

Honey Cone

In 1968, Clark met singer Carolyn Willis through long-time industry veteran Sherlie Mae Matthews. The trio formed a girl's group called The Cover Girls and performed in local clubs and theaters. Singer

Edna Wright Edna Wright (February 2, 1945 – September 12, 2020) was an American singer, best known as the lead singer of Honey Cone, the girl group that went to No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with the song "Want Ads" in 1971. She was the younger sister ...

asked Clark and Willis to appear with her on

The Andy Williams Show ''The Andy Williams Show'' was an American television variety show that ran from 1962 to 1971 (alternating during the summer of 1970 with ''Andy Williams Presents Ray Stevens'')Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, ''The Complete Directory to Prime Time N ...

in 1968. In addition, Wright asked

Eddie Holland Edward Holland Jr. (born October 30, 1939) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Holland was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Although he was an early Motown artist who recorded minor hit singles such as "Jamie", ...

of the newly formed

Invictus Records Invictus Records was an American record label based in Detroit, Michigan. It was created by former top Motown producers Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland, Jr. (known collectively as Holland–Dozier–Holland). It was the sister l ...

and formerly of

Motown Records Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmant ...

to watch the show. Holland was so impressed that he convinced the girls to start a group. He gave the trio the name Honey Cone with Wright as lead singer. During a break from recording with Honey Cone in Detroit, the group went back to Los Angeles and Clark was hired as a regular on the TV show ''

The Jim Nabors Hour ''The Jim Nabors Hour'' is an American variety television series hosted by Jim Nabors that aired on the CBS television network from 1969 to 1971. Fresh from his success with '' Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.'', which put his backwoods "Gomer Pyle" chara ...

''. In May 1969, Honey Cone's debut single "While You're Out Looking for Sugar" was released on

Hot Wax Records Hot Wax Records was a Detroit, Michigan-based record label, created by producers/songwriters Holland–Dozier–Holland (Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland) in 1968 when they left Motown. History Until 1967, Holland, Dozier, and Holl ...

. It spent 8 weeks on ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

s R&B chart and peaked at No. 26 on August 16, 1969. The follow-up "Girls, It Ain't Easy" was released in September 1969, and peaked at No. 8 on November 16, 1969 on the R&B chart after appearing for 9 weeks. In 1971, Clark had to abruptly leave ''The Jim Nabors Hour'' when the Honey Cone's single "

" climbed the charts, knocking

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

' "

Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

" out of the No. 1 spot. "Want Ads" proved to be their biggest success, spending 14 weeks on the charts and topping the R&B and Pop charts, and selling over one million copies. It was certified

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

by the R.I.A.A. in May 1971. " Stick-Up," which also sold more than one million units, was another No. 1 R&B hit and No. 11 Pop. Honey Cone had further chart success with " One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" (No. 15 Pop, No. 5 R&B) and "The Day I Found Myself" (No. 23 Pop, No. 8 R&B). Clark along with Wright and Willis appeared on the September 2, 1971 cover of Jet Magazine. By 1973, Honey Cone had 4 top 40 ''Billboard'' Hot 100 hits and 9 top 40 ''Billboard'' R&B hits, but the group disbanded that year, starting with Willis who was dissatisfied with the lack of control over her career. Soon after, Hot Wax Records folded.

Post-Honey Cone

In 1973, Mary Wilson of

The Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful ...

asked Clark to join the group following the departures of

Jean Terrell Velma Jean Terrell (born November 26, 1944) is an American R&B and jazz singer. She replaced Diana Ross as the lead singer of The Supremes in January 1970. Biography Early life and career She is the sister of the former WBA heavyweight box ...

and

Lynda Laurence Lynda Laurence (also spelled Lawrence, born Lynda Tucker; February 20, 1949) is an American singer. The youngest daughter of Louise and Ira Tucker, a gospel songwriter, producer, and singer, Laurence's siblings are Sundray Tucker and Ira Tuc ...

. Clark declined citing she "didn't want to do the group thing again." Wilson ended up hiring Clark's label mate Scherrie Payne of the Glass House. In 1978, Clark was a regular on the disco television show, ''Hot City'', as a singer, dancer and occasional host. In 1990, the trio attempted a reunion with all three original members, however, that fell apart due to creative differences. . In 2014, Clark and Wright along with Melodye Perry (Wright's daughter) reunited to perform on the Soul Train Cruise. On September 18, 2016, Clark and Wright were honored with the 2016 National Rhythm and Blues Music Society Unsung Heroine Award at their Black Tie Gala, Dinner & Awards Ceremony at the Double Tree by Hilton in Philadelphia, PA. Willis, who wasn't in attendance received an award as well. On September 24, 2017 Clark along with Wright were honored with the Heroes and Legends Award (HAL) in Music as Honey Cone at The Beverly Hill Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. On September 12, 2020, Clark's band-mate and friend Edna Wright died at Encino Medical Hospital due to chronic pulmonary issues and suffered a heart attack. On 8, January 2021, Honey Cone was inducted into the Soul Music Hall Of Fame Class of 2020. Mayor John Hamilton proclaimed February 1, 2021, Verdine White and Shelly Clark day in Bloomington, Indiana.

Personal life

Clark married Rock and Roll Hall of Famer

Verdine White Verdine Adams White (born July 25, 1951) is an American musician, best known as a founding member and bassist for the band Earth, Wind & Fire. White was placed at No. 19 on Rolling Stone's list of The 50 Greatest Bassists of All Time. Early l ...

, founding member and bassist of

Earth, Wind & Fire Earth, Wind & Fire (EW&F or EWF) is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, big band, Latin, and Afro pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million re ...

, in their

Bel Air, California Bel Air (or Bel-Air) is a residential neighborhood on the Westside of Los Angeles, California, in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. Founded in 1923, it is the home of the Hannah Carter Japanese Garden and the American Jewish Universi ...

home on December 31, 1980. They have a son and granddaughter.

Discography

Albums

* 1957: Elia and Michele Clark – ''Calypso Songs for Children'' (Columbia)

Backing vocal credits

* 1969:

Tommy Roe Thomas David "Tommy" Roe (born May 9, 1942) is a retired American rock and pop singer-songwriter. Best-remembered for his hits "Sheila" (1962) and " Dizzy" (1969), Roe was "widely perceived as one of the archetypal bubblegum artists of the late ...

– ''Dizzy'' * 1976: Bobby Glenn – ''Shout It Out'' * 1979:

Carrie Lucas Carrie Lucas (born November 5, 1945) is an American R&B singer, born in Carmel, California. In 1976, she was signed to Soul Train Records. Lucas released six studio albums over seven years, with Soul Train and Solar Records. Lucas was marrie ...

– ''In Danceland''

Honey Cone Discography

Television/Film Credits

*1959:

The Green Pastures ''The Green Pastures'' is a play written in 1930 by Marc Connelly adapted from ''Ol' Man Adam an' His Chillun'' (1928), a collection of stories written by Roark Bradford. The play was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1930. It had th ...

- angel *1968:

- back-up singer *1969–1971:

- regular dancer and singer *1978: Hot City Television Show - singer, dancer and occasional host *1989:

CBS Summer Playhouse ''CBS Summer Playhouse'' is an American anthology series that ran from June 12, 1987 to August 22, 1989 on CBS. It aired unsold television pilots during the summer season. Overview Tim Reid and Daphne Maxwell Reid acted as hosts during the first ...

(TV Series) episode, Coming To America - dialogue coach

Honey Cone TV/Film Credits

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Shelly 1947 births Musicians from Brooklyn Dancers from New York (state) Ike & Tina Turner members American soul singers African-American women singers Columbia Records artists American musical theatre actresses Living people