The Charmaines

The Charmaines (Cincinnati, Ohio)
(The early Years)

Personnel :

Marian "Gigi" Jackson

Dee Watkins

Irene Vinegar

Discography :

The Charmaines
1961 - If you were mine / Rockin' Old Man (Fraternity 873)
1961 - What kind of girl (Do you hink i am) / All you gotta do (Fraternity 880)
1961 - Only Love (Fraternity) (Unreleased)
1962 - Where is the boy tonight / On the wagon (Dot 16351)
1963 - G. I. Joe / Don't Take Away Your Love (Fraternity 909)
1963 - Goodbye Baby Goodbye / Midnight (Dave Rockingham Trio) (Fraternity 917)
1964 - I Idolize You / Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu (Fraternity 921)

Lonnie Mack bb The Charmaines
1963 - Baby, What's Wrong (Fraternity 918)
1964 - Say Something Nice To Me (Fraternity 920)

Biography :

Gigi and the Charmaines’ brief and only Billboard chart appearance at #117 in 1961 doesn’t reflect the trio’s great solo work on six different labels, nor does it take into account their work backing Lonnie Mack or their singing behind artists that included Little Willie John, James Brown, Bobby Freeman, Conway Twitty, Gary U.S. Bonds and Hawkshaw Hawkins at the King Records’ studio.

These acheivements made them Cincinnati’s top girl group. They won a recording contract with Fraternity Records on a local televised talent show. The group’s debut 1960 Fraternity 45 "Rockin’ Old Man" backed with "If You Were Mine", for which Gigi wrote the lyrics. More 45s, including What Kind Of Girl (Do You Think I Am), which topped a rival version from Erma Franklin in the summer of 1961, followed and they worked on local dance party shows . The mystery of how one 45 was released on Hollywood-based Dot label is explained and also the story of how the girls moved to and recorded in Canada.
http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/gigi.htm

Songs :

The Charmaines

     
Only Love                    Where is the boy tonight               On the wagon

      
All you gotta do                    What Kind Of Girl                If You Were Mine 


      
Rockin' Old Man                      I Idolize You                    Rockin' Pneumonia ...

    

        Lonnie Mack & The Charmaines      Carl Edmondson (bb The Charmaines)

    
Say Something Nice To Me                  Baby Please Don't Go

...