The first set included Pat Arnold (a.k.a. In the meantime, Turner hired new Ikettes after Montgomery, Fields and Smith left to form the Mirettes. When "Peaches and Cream" became rapidly popular, Ike sent a different set of Ikettes - Janice Singleton (Hughes), Diane Rutherford and Marquentta Tinsley - on the road with "The Dick Clark Caravan of Stars" and kept Montgomery, Smith, and Fields on tour with his revue. Ultra-funky remakes of "Sally Go Round the Roses" and " Da Doo Ron Ron" did not go as well neither did "He's Gonna Be Fine, Fine, Fine," though it sounded like a precursor to the music Betty Davis did later. From 1964 through 1966, they released six singles on Modern Records, including "The Camel Walk" (1964), and two hits " Peaches 'N' Cream" (1965) and " I'm So Thankful" (1965). The single "Here's Your Heart" came out on Innis Records in 1964 but failed to go national nor did "What'cha Gonna Do (When I Leave You)" released on Phi-Dan Records in 1966. She put on a dark wig to cover her blonde hair and used Man Tan to darken her skin. Bramlett recalled that she was an Ikette for three days when she was 17. According to Bramlett, Smith briefly quit the Ikettes after Turner fired her boyfriend Sam Rhodes, who was the bass player in the Kings of Rhythm. ĭuring this period Bonnie Bramlett was briefly an Ikette, becoming the first white Ikette. In 1962, Ike switched them to his Teena record label for two singles: "Crazy in Love" (credited as Robbie Montgomery & the Ikettes) and "Prisoner in Love." Soon after its release, the title of "Prisoner in Love" was changed to "No Bail in This Jail" in order to avoid confusion with "Prisoner of Love" by James Brown. Occasionally they'd play at major venues such as the Apollo Theater in New York, Howard Theater in Washington, D.C., and Uptown Theater in Philadelphia. on the Chitlin' Circuit in the segregated South. The revue toured constantly through the U.S. Montgomery rejoined the revue shortly after having her baby and was teamed with Jessie Smith (recruited from a group named Benny Sharp and the Zorros of Rhythm) and Venetta Fields (a gospel singer from Buffalo, New York) to form the first official incarnation of The Ikettes. Released in November 1961, the single reached No.
They recorded " I'm Blue (The Gong-Gong Song)" the following year, produced by Ike and leased to Atco Records. Montgomery was pregnant and unable to tour. When Art Lassiter didn't show up for a recording session in early 1960, Ike Turner took Lassiter's backup singers, the Artettes (Robbie Montgomery, Frances Hodges, and Sandra Harding) and had them accompany Tina Turner on the recording " A Fool in Love." Following the success of the single, Ike formed the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, but with a new group of backup singers: Delores Johnson, Eloise Hester, and Jo Armstead.
I want action on that stage at all times. But I still love the look and action of long hair movin' and the short skirts shimmying. Ike says he patterned me after Sheena of the jungle. And I always loved the look of long straight hair. There's simply no room for sloppiness and unprofessionalism," Tina told Esquire.
"They represent me, and in my act they gotta look outta sight at all times. It was this trio that later morphed into The Mirettes.Īs the 1960s progressed, the Ikettes became known for their sexy onstage appearance minidresses, long hair and high-energy dance routines that mirrored their mentor Tina Turner. The most popular line-up consisted of Robbie Montgomery, Venetta Fields, and Jessie Smith. The first official incarnation of The Ikettes was composed of Delores Johnson, Eloise Hester and Josie Jo Armstead. The group started as “The Artettes”, the backing group of Art Lassiter. 63 on its list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time. In the 1960s they had hits such as " I'm Blue (The Gong-Gong Song)" and " Peaches 'N' Cream." In 2017, Billboard ranked "I'm Blue (The Gong-Gong Song)" No. Despite their origins, the Ikettes became successful artists in their own right. The Ikettes, originally The Artettes, were a trio (sometimes quartet) of female backing vocalists for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue.
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