Gladys Horton

The Del-Rhythmetts (Detroit, MI)
ref : The Marvelettes

Personnel :

Gladys Catherine Horton

Jeanette McClaflin

Juanita McClaflin

Rosemary Wells

Discography :

1959 - Chic-A-Boomer / I Need Your Love (J-V-B 5000)

Biography :

Gladys Catherine Horton was born on 30 May 1945 in Gainesville Florida, to parents originally from the West Indies. Given up for adoption at the tender age of nine months old, she spent much of her formative years in foster homes before settling with the Jones family on Harriet Street, Inskter. Church played a large role in her early musical experience and she became a regular with the Millenarian Specials, her local church choir. At fourteen years old she and three school friends’ Jeanette and Juanita McClaflin and Rosemary Wells, formed a singing quartet named The Del-Rhythmetts and even managed to get Joe Van Batte, a local record store owner to record them. (1) The release, The De-Rhythmetts — “I Need Your Love b/w Chic A Boomer” — JVB 500 which was recorded in 1959 and is a real old school attempt at a doo wop ballad, slid into obscurity without causing so much as a ripple in the market but did receive some local airplay which must have thrilled the young ladies. The single sparse guitar accompaniment on the A side is augmented by a pretty mean tenor sax player and the flip has an equally adept flautist involved, so maybe some-one showed a little faith in the youngsters.

   
                                                                                                         Gladys Horton

In 1960 Horton formed a group with her former high school glee club members Georgeanna Tillman, Katherine Anderson and Juanita Cowart. She also invited Georgia Dobbins to join her new group. Formerly calling themselves The Casinyets (can't sing yet), the group eventually auditioned for Motown after a talent contest, and while the audition was successful, the group was requested to return to Hitsville with an original song. After member Georgia Dobbins co-created the song "Please Mr. Postman", Dobbins suddenly left the group after her father forbade her to be in nightclubs. Dobbins, who was also the group's original lead singer, gave Horton the spotlight to be the lead vocalist, a spot Horton was not comfortable with in the beginning. The group changed their name to the Marvelettes shortly after Motown signed the act and released "Please Mr. Postman" in the summer of 1960 when Horton was reportedly just fifteen years old.


Songs :

  
 I Need Your Love                                   Chic-A-Boomer

...