Barbara English and The Clickettes

[Shelley "SoleMann" King]

The story begins in 1958 at Yorkville Vocational High School in Manhattan. Variously known as the Clickettes, Click-ettes or Cliquettes, this undeservedly obscure ‘girl group’ began their career on the Dice label in 1958 under the auspices of hit duo Johnnie and Joe, who owned the label.

According to biographer John Clemente, the original line-up of the Clickettes included lead singer Barbara English, alto Sylvia Hammond, and two sopranos, Trudy and Charlotte McCartney. But according to the group, Trudy sang soprano, Charlotte, baritone. A year after their Dice releases, half the group changed. The McCartney sisters remained in school, to be replaced by Jean Bolden and Barbara Saunders.

As written in the Rock & Blues News, the group released five singles for Dice, notably the double-sided hit “Because Of My Best Friend”/”To Be A Part of You”, which was in the top spot in Pittsburgh and Philly in 1959, and the New York City favorite, “Lovers’ Prayer”. The group left Dice for Guyden in 1960. This is when Barbara Saunders and Jean Bolden replaced the McCartney sisters.

The Clickettes were later taken over by Richard Barrett, lead singer of the Valentines and manager of the legendary Chantels, and it was he who produced and wrote the song, “Where Is He”, on Guyden. Although there were a fair number of Clickettes recordings released in the late ‘50’s and early ‘60’s, not all of them actually featured the girls. “Tonight And Forever”, for instance was probably actually recorded by a group called the Teen Clefs. Although such niceties rarely disturbed Dice administrator Zell Sanders.

In any event lead singer Barbara English and a number of ex-Clickettes continued to record into the early ‘60’s for labels like Roulette, Warwick and Elmor. Helen Powell of The Impacts (“Canadian Sunset” on RCA) replaced Sylvia in 196l. The group then recorded two singles for Roulette, including the local New York favorite, “We Need Them”, billed as Barbara English and the Fashions. The Fashions disbanded when Barbara went solo in 1963, and Helen joined the Chantels.

The Clickettes made their first United Group Harmony appearance in March 2000, and by the reaction of the crowd it won’t be their last. The Clickettes as of 2000 are Barbara English (original lead), Trudy McCartney-Cunningham and Sylvia Hammond-Akridge (original members). The other original, Charlotte, could not join them at the time so Lorraine Joyner of the Veneers and the Relatives was brought in later to round out the group. They entertained the audience to superb renditions of “Warm, Soft and Lovely”, “Why Oh Why”, “Grateful”, “Lovers’ Prayer”, “To Be a Part of You”and “Because of My Best Friend”.

The Clickettes only reunited at the end of 1999, but sounded like they’ve been singing together steadily for the last thirty. “They were truly remarkable and were praised by everyone”, as noted in the Rock & Blues News by Jerry Skokandich.

In 2001 the group lost one of the originals, Charlotte McCartney-Ford.

The year of 2006 found the Clickettes replacing Lorraine, with the youngest McCartney sister, Carlene Sabb. She was an easy fit, since she grew up listening to them rehearse. She also had a chance to do some rehearsing with the Teen Clefs during those years.


Barbara English and The Clickettes..."Lover's Prayer"



Barbara English and The Clickettes..."To Be A Part Of You"



Barbara English and The Clickettes on The Group Harmony Alley Radio Show

[Edie Antoinette]

Me too..we really were right there with The Hutchinson Sunbeams (The Emotions)..and we all were in the same chorus..we used to sing in the same talent shows too and they didn't have nothin on us..

Carolyn was the lead of our group and Beverly was the soprano. Carolyn was sooo funny. She was always coming up with some jokes. She's the one who told me and Beverly about Onie..the joke was:

Two ladies were walking down the street and one said.."Onie, I smell something burning..Onie replied 'maybe we walkin too fast..." smh! We cracked up laffin!

[Shelley "SoleMann" King]

I wish i could have heard ya'll sing...SMILE

[Edie Antoinette]

Now this is really hitting it! I was wanting to read about some lady doo-woppers! This is EXCELLENT! It touches my heart and soul.

Great post! They sound good! I sure wish me and my little group had recorded. we sounded good too. Of course I was the alto of the 3 of us..Me Carolyn and Beverly..memories.