The Four Jewels  (Washington, D.C)
aka The Impalas (3) aka The Jewels (5) 


Personnel:

Sandra Peoples

Margie Clarke

Carrie Mingo

Grace Ruffin



Discography :

The  Impalas (3)
1961 - For The Love Of Mike / I Need You So Much (Checker 999)

The Four Jewels
1962 - Loaded With Goodies / Fire (Start 638)
1963 - Johnny Jealousy / Someone Special (Start 638)
1963 - All That's Good / I Love Me Some You (Start 641)
1963 - Dapper Dan / Loaded With Goodies  (Checker 1039)
1964 - Time For Love / That's What They Put Erasers On Pencils For (Checker 1069)
1964 - Baby It's You / She's Wrong For You Baby (Tec 3007)

The Jewels (5)
1964 - Opportunity / Gotta Find A Way (Dimension 1034)
1964 - This Is My Story / My Song (Federal 12541)
1965 - Smokey Joe / But I Do (Dimension 1048)
1966 - Papas Left Mama Holdin' The Bag / This Is My Story (Dynamite 2000)

Biography :

The Four Jewels formed at Roosevelt High School in Washington, DC. The group was first known as the Impalas. They changed their name to the Four Jewels. The Four Jewels consisted of Sandra Bears, Grace Ruffin, Margie Clarke and Carrie Mingo.

Along with other talented young singers out of Washington, DC, such as The Marquees (the first vocal group that Marvin Gaye sang with) and Billy Stewart, The Four Jewels would gather at the home recording studio of the legendary R&B singer, Bo Diddley, who then lived in Northeast Washington. In the early 1960s, Carrie Mingo left the group, and she was replaced by Martha Harvin (now known as Martha High). In 1964 the group released their first national hit "Opportunity" on the Dimensions label.

The Dimensions label was owned by rock and roll promoter, Don Kirshner. The song “Opportunity” stayed on the Billboard R&B charts for seven weeks.The Jewels have over 20 recordings, which have made an impact on the national and local R&B charts. Jewel’s member, Grace Ruffin, is the cousin of the legendary DC singer, Billy Stewart.

  
The Jewels                                                                                                                 The Jewels

The Jewels sing back up on the Billy Stewart song “Reap What You Sow”. They recently appear on the CD, The Velons & Their Divas (October 2007), where they sing new music written by Reese Palmer of The Marquees (which featured a young Marvin Gaye) (“Sugar Wooga Baby”), as well as a song penned by The Jewels (“Someone to Love”) In 1965, now The Jewels Impressed with The Jewels talents, Brown recruited the ladies to join him as part of the legendary “James Brown Revue”. The Jewels went on the road for one year with James Brown as his background singers. They appear on the song “Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud”. On the James Brown song “Don’t Be A Dropout”, James Brown calls out “The Jewels” during the song, and the Jewels recorded several songs produced by Brown, including “This Is My Story.”

http://www.myspace.com/thefabulousjewels