The Dreamers (3)

The Dreamers on Flip Records.(top to right) Gloria Jones, Janell Hawkins, Annette Williams, and Fanita James.

The Dreamers (3) (Los Angeles) 

aka The Blossons
aka The Rollettes
aka The Playgirls (1)
aka The Angels (4)
aka The Girlfriends (3)
aka The Coeds (2)
 Ref Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans

Personnel :

Fanita Wright Barrett (First tenor)

Annette Williams (First tenor)

Nanette Williams Jackson (Second tenor)

Gloria Jones (Baritone)

Discography :

The Dreamers (3) featuring Richard Berry
1954 - Bye Bye / At Last (Flair 1052)

The Dreamers (3)
1956 - Do Not Forget / Since You've Been Gone (Flip 319)

Jenell Hawkins & The Dreamers (3)
1961 - Do Not Forget / Since You've Been Gone (Flip 354)

Richard Berry bb The Dreamers (3)
1956 - Good Love / Wait For Me (RPM 477)

Richard Berry & The Dreamers (3)

Singles :
1955 - Daddy Daddy / Baby Darling (Flair 1058)
1955 - Together / Jelly-Roll (Richard Berry with male group) (Flair 1075)

Lp :
1963 - Richard Berry & The Dreamers (3) (Crown CST 371)
Daddy, Daddy / Pretty Brown Eyes* / I Am Bewildered* / The Big Break** / Good Love / Next Time* / Wait For Me  / Together / Baby Baby / Please Tell Me
*Richard Berry solo
**Richard Berry with male group

Biography :

The Dreamers were formed in 1954 in Los Angeles, California. Gloria Jones, Fanita Barrett, fraternal twin sisters Annette and Nanette Williams, Pat Howard and Jewel Cobbs all attended Fremont High School in Los Angeles. Fanita and Jewel had been in the glee club at Edison Junior High School. When the girls attended Fremont, Fanita and Jewel met the twins in the chorus. Pat and Gloria soon joined the group. This sextet was originally named The Dreamers. his sextet was originally named The Dreamers. The girls palled around with fellow student Dexter Tisby, himself a member of the locally popular group, The Penguins, who had a hit with the memorable, “Earth Angel”.

Richard Berry     

Richard Berry was having emergent success as a songwriter and as a jazz and R&B soloist. The capable singer took to the sextet of young girls. Barely out of high school himself, Richard was quickly developing a reputation as a smooth  baritone crooner. The Dreamers complemented him perfectly. He began using them as backing vocalists on his recordings for Flair and RPM Records.

 With Johnny Otis in 1954. Left to right: Annette Williams, Nanette Williams, Fanita Barrett, Gloria Jones, Pat Howard and Jewel Cobbs. Cobbs and Howard sang only on the "Bye Bye" and "Daddy Daddy" sessions.

Johnny Otis, the famed disc jockey and orchestra leader, spotted the girls at a high school talent show. One of their first appearances was for his radio show on KFOX IN 1955. Not long after this appearance, Pat and Jewel turned their attentions to other activities in their lives. The group quickly became an efficient quartet. The Dreamers developed an harmonic tone that was crystal clear and mesmerizing in its clarity. Every note was sung in perfectly aimed “oohs”, and when their words were sung, it was like a recitation. Everything they sang was done in three or four-part harmonies with either Fanita or Nanette taking the occasional lead. The Dreamers weren't interested in making a name for themselves as a primary group. Happy being backing vocalists, they played both an integral and primary part of Richard Berry's recordings.

The Rollettes.

Beginning with a version of Harry Warren and Mack Gordon's standard gem “At Last”, The Dreamers backed Richard Berry on three singles for Flair, one single for RPM and one single for Flip. Also, The Dreamers lent their signature sound to other solo artists like Eloise Brooks and Etta James. Perhaps the most memorable recording by the group under their original moniker was the enchanting “Do Not Forget” and its compatible flip, , “Since You've Been Gone”, both penned by Richard Berry. In a true California style, the girls blow their way through each phrase, putting their unique intonations on every chord. Nanette could not sing lead on this session, so Jennell Hawkins took her place. Jennell is an accomplished organist as well as an engaging singer and had recorded duets with Richard Berry on RPM before rising to fame with her 1962 hit , “Moments”. The Dreamers' ability to sing in any configuration allowed them to garner work singing for different labels under assumed names. Gloria occasionally sang as a member of Richard Berry's Pharaohs.

The Blossoms during their Capitol period. Clockwise from lower left: Nanette, Fanita, Gloria and Annette.

Gloria, Annette and Fanita recorded two singles for Class Records under the pseudonym The Rollettes. “Sad Fool” and “More Than You Realize/Kiss Me Benny” were two efforts that, unfortunately, went by unnoticed, but the efforts of the  singing group did not. Recording under assumed names was to become the group's way of life. The Dreamers signed with Capitol Records where one of the executives, noticing their different skin tones, said they looked like a bouquet; which is how they became the Blossoms.
John Clemente (Girl Groups: Fabulous Females That Rocked the World)

Songs :


The Dreamers (3)


  
Do Not Forget                                  Since You've Been Gone

The Dreamers (3) featuring Richard Berry

  
Bye Bye                          At Last


Richard Berry & The Dreamers (3)


     
Daddy Daddy                     Baby Darling                      Together

     
Good Love                   Wait For Me                      Next Time

…