Shelly Clark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shelly Clark
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Clark in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 2016
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| Background information | |
| Born | July 27, 1947 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, soul, pop, calypso |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1953–present |
| Labels | Columbia, Hot Wax Invictus |
| Associated acts | Honey Cone, Elia and Michele Clark, The Clark Kids, Cab Calloway, Tom Jones, Harry Belafonte, The Ikettes, Andy Williams, Little Richard |
Shelly Clark (born July 27, 1947) is an American singer, dancer, and actress. She is best known as a founding member of the 1970s R&B girl group, Honey Cone. This group had a huge hit song called "Want Ads" in March 1971, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Shelly Clark was born Mashelle Clark in Brooklyn, New York, on July 27, 1947. Her mother, Lilly Gainen-Clark, was a talented concert pianist. Her father, Edward Evans Clark, was a dancer, singer, and entertainer from Barbados. Shelly also had an older brother named Ilya Clark. In 1957, when Shelly was ten, her family moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, California.
Shelly's Career Journey
Starting Young
Shelly Clark began her career in entertainment at a very young age, just six years old. When she was seven, she and her brother were cast in a popular Broadway musical called House of Flowers. They performed in this show every night for eight months.
Shelly and her brother became known as The Clark Kids. Their father helped them with their dancing and managed their careers. In 1957, The Clark Kids signed with Columbia Records. They recorded an album together called Calypso Songs For Children.
Performing with Stars
In 1957, when Shelly was nine, she joined the Cotton Club Revue. This was a big show where she sang a song called "Evalina." She even shared the stage with the famous musician Cab Calloway. Shelly was the youngest performer in the show. She was also the youngest person to perform at the Palace Theatre and The Apollo in New York. The Cotton Club Revue went on a national tour for seven months.
Later, Shelly attended the University of Southern California on a scholarship for singers. To earn extra money, she worked as a session vocalist, singing backup for other artists. In 1966, she auditioned for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue and was hired as an Ikette. Although she didn't record with them, she performed with the group until a bus crash. After recovering, Shelly toured as a lead dancer with the Little Richard Revue. She also recorded and toured with other artists like Dusty Springfield and Bill Medley.
Forming Honey Cone
In 1968, Shelly met Carolyn Willis and Sherlie Mae Matthews. They formed a girl group called The Cover Girls and performed in local clubs.
Soon after, singer Edna Wright asked Shelly and Carolyn to perform with her on The Andy Williams Show. Eddie Holland, who had worked with Motown Records and was starting Invictus Records, watched the show. He was so impressed that he convinced the girls to form a new group. He named them Honey Cone, with Edna Wright as the lead singer.
While recording with Honey Cone, Shelly also worked as a regular dancer and singer on the TV show The Jim Nabors Hour.
Honey Cone's Big Hits
Honey Cone's first song, "While You're Out Looking for Sugar," came out in May 1969. It was on the Billboard's R&B chart for eight weeks. Their next song, "Girls, It Ain't Easy," also did well.
In 1971, Honey Cone had their biggest hit, "Want Ads." This song became No. 1 on both the R&B and Pop charts, selling over a million copies! It was certified gold, meaning it sold a lot of copies. Because of this huge success, Shelly had to leave The Jim Nabors Hour to focus on Honey Cone.
Honey Cone had more hit songs, including "Stick-Up," which also sold over a million copies. Other popular songs were "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" and "The Day I Found Myself."
By 1973, Honey Cone had many successful songs, but the group broke up that year.
After Honey Cone
After Honey Cone disbanded, Shelly continued her career. In 1978, she was a regular on a disco TV show called Hot City, where she sang, danced, and sometimes hosted.
In 2014, Shelly Clark and Edna Wright reunited with Melodye Perry (Edna's daughter) to perform on the Soul Train Cruise.
Shelly Clark and Edna Wright received awards for their contributions to music. In 2016, they got the National Rhythm and Blues Music Society Unsung Heroine Award. In 2017, they were honored with the Heroes and Legends Award (HAL) in Music.
Sadly, Edna Wright passed away in 2020. In 2021, Honey Cone was inducted into the Soul Music Hall Of Fame.
On November 16, 2024, Honey Cone released a new song called "Here Comes the Rain Again". This was their first new music in 50 years! Shelly Clark, along with new members Kathy Merrick and Wendy Smith-Brune, sang on the track.
Shelly also produced her husband Verdine White's first solo song, "Superman," released in December 2024.
Personal Life
Shelly Clark married Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Verdine White on December 31, 1980. Verdine White is a founding member and bassist of the famous band Earth, Wind & Fire. They have a son and a granddaughter.
Discography
Albums
- 1957: Elia and Michele Clark – Calypso Songs for Children (Columbia)
Backing Vocal Credits
- 1969: Tommy Roe – Dizzy
- 1976: Bobby Glenn – Shout It Out
- 1979: Carrie Lucas – In Danceland
Honey Cone Discography
Producer
- 2024: Verdine White - "Superman"
Filmography and Television
- 1959: The Green Pastures - angel
- 1968: The Andy Williams Show - back-up singer
- 1969–1971: The Jim Nabors Hour - regular dancer and singer
- 1978: Hot City Television Show - singer, dancer and occasional host
- 1989: CBS Summer Playhouse (TV Series) episode, Coming To America - dialogue coach
Honey Cone Television/Filmography
