The Three Degrees facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Three Degrees
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The group's lineup since 2011 (from left to right: Valerie Holiday, Freddi Poole and Helen Scott)
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | c. 1963–present |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts | MFSB |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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The Three Degrees is an American singing group made up of women. They started around 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Even though 16 different women have been part of the group over the years, it has always had three singers. The current members are Helen Scott, Valerie Holiday, and Freddi Poole.
The group became very popular in the UK. They had 13 songs reach the Top 50 charts between 1974 and 1985.
The first members were Fayette Pinkney, Shirley Porter, and Linda Turner. Shirley and Linda were soon replaced by Janet Harmon and Helen Scott. From 1967 to 1976, the group was Fayette Pinkney, Valerie Holiday, and Sheila Ferguson. Sheila sang lead on most of their biggest hits.
This lineup was featured on the MFSB song "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" in 1974. This song hit number one in the US. They also had seven UK Top 40 hits. Their 1974 song "When Will I See You Again" was a huge international hit. It reached the Top 5 in seven countries and was number one in the UK. It also reached number two in the US.
When Fayette Pinkney left in 1976, Helen Scott came back to the group. This lineup had four UK Top 20 hits, including "Woman in Love" in 1979. Sheila Ferguson left in 1986 to start a solo career.
The group's most stable lineup was from 1989 to 2010. During this time, Cynthia Garrison joined Valerie Holiday and Helen Scott. They had one more UK chart entry in 1998. This was a dance version of "Last Christmas". Cynthia Garrison left the group in 2010 due to health reasons. Freddi Poole replaced her in 2011.
The group's 2016 album, Strategy: Our Tribute to Philadelphia, was their first album with Freddi Poole. Helen Scott is the only original member still in the group. She took a break from the group from 1966 to 1976.
Contents
The Group's Journey
Starting in the 1960s
The Three Degrees began around 1963 in Philadelphia. Fayette Pinkney, one of the first members, said it was "about '63, last year in high school...and it was fun!"
Producer Richie Barrett discovered them. He produced their first song, "Gee Baby (I'm Sorry)," in 1965. Linda Turner and Shirley Porter left the group. Fayette Pinkney was the only original member left. Helen Scott and Janet Harmon joined in early 1963.
The Three Degrees released several songs, including "I'm Gonna Need You" and a cover of "Maybe" in 1966.
When Helen Scott left in 1966 to start a family, Sheila Ferguson took her place. Sheila stayed for 20 years and was the lead singer on most of the group's best songs. Janet Harmon left by 1967. Valerie Holiday eventually replaced her.
The group signed with different record labels over the next three years. These included Warner Bros., Metromedia, and Neptune Records. The Neptune label was owned by Gamble and Huff, who would work with the group later. The group was popular in nightclubs because of their close harmony singing. However, they still needed a big hit song.
Success in the 1970s
By 1970, they signed with Roulette Records. They released their first album, Maybe. The song "Maybe," with Valerie Holiday singing lead, reached No. 4 on the US R&B chart. They released more singles and a second album, So Much Love.
Their success led to a small appearance in the 1971 movie The French Connection. They sang "Everybody Gets to Go to the Moon" in the film.
In 1973, they signed with Philadelphia International Records. This was under Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Here, they had their biggest hits. Their first song for this label was with the studio band MFSB. It was called "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)," which was the theme song for Soul Train. The group also appeared on the TV show Sanford and Son in 1973.
Their first album for Philadelphia International was The Three Degrees. It had three hit songs: "Dirty Ol' Man," "Year Of Decision," and "When Will I See You Again". "When Will I See You Again" made the group famous. It was number one in the UK for two weeks in August 1974. It was the first time an all-female group had done this since The Supremes in 1964. It was also the fourth best-selling song of that year in the UK. In the US, it reached No. 2 and sold over two million copies.
The Three Degrees also recorded two live albums in 1975. One was in Leicester, UK, and the other in Tokyo, Japan. Their second studio album, The Three Degrees International, was sold worldwide. In Europe, it was called With Love. It had the hit song "Take Good Care Of Yourself," which reached the UK Top 10. The UK version of the album was titled Take Good Care Of Yourself. It reached No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart, their highest album chart position there. Two other songs from the album, "Midnight Train" and "Nigai Namida", were big hits in Japan. The latter was recorded in Japanese.
In 1976, The Three Degrees left Gamble and Huff. They moved to CBS Sony/Epic Records. They released the album A Toast Of Love for the Far East market. In 1976, Fayette Pinkney was replaced by Helen Scott, who had been a member before. The album Standing Up For Love in 1977 was their last for CBS/Epic.
In 1978, The Three Degrees signed with Ariola Records. They started working with Giorgio Moroder, a famous disco producer. They released two disco albums on Ariola: New Dimensions (1978) and 3D (1979). These albums gave them four UK Top 20 hits: "Givin' Up Givin' In," "Woman in Love," "The Runner," and "My Simple Heart."
The group performed for Prince Charles at his 30th birthday party in 1978. They were also guests at the party before his wedding to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. Their own TV special, The Three Degrees at The Royal Albert Hall, was filmed in October 1979. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra backed the trio.
The 1980s and Beyond
In 1980, the album Gold was released. It became a UK Top 10 hit. It featured their hits from 1978-1979 and live songs from their 1979 TV special. This was their second "best of" album to reach the UK Top 10.
Between 1982 and 1985, The Three Degrees released two albums on their own label, 3D. These were Album of Love and Live in the UK. They also released "Liar," a song written by Sheila Ferguson. A third BBC Television show, Take 3 Degrees, was filmed in 1982. It included their greatest hits and new songs.
They returned to the UK charts in 1985 with "The Heaven I Need." This song was produced by Stock/Aitken/Waterman. The single just missed the UK Top 40. The band was surprised it didn't chart higher.
In 1986, Miquel Brown filled in for Helen Scott while she was pregnant. That same year, Sheila Ferguson left the group to focus on her family. Helen Scott and Valerie Holiday replaced Sheila with Vera Brown in 1986, and then Rhea Harris in 1987. In 1989, Helen Scott, Valerie Holiday, and new member Victoria Wallace recorded the album Three Degrees ... And Holding. A song called "A Tender Lie" was also released. After the album, the group recorded a live CD in London with Billy Paul and Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes in 1989. They then toured the UK and Japan. Since Sheila Ferguson left, Valerie Holiday has been the permanent lead singer.
In a 2006 interview, Sheila Ferguson and Valerie Holiday talked about Sheila leaving the group. Sheila told them over the phone, not in person. Valerie felt upset that the conversation wasn't in person. She also said it was hard to find someone to replace Sheila. Since then, Sheila has not had much contact with the group members. They don't appear in public together. In a 2011 TV interview, The Three Degrees said they sometimes see Sheila in Philadelphia. They said it's like "ships that pass in the night" – brief meetings.
The 1990s and Today
In December 1989, Cynthia Garrison replaced Victoria Wallace. This lineup was the longest-lasting for the group. In 1993, they recorded a new version of "When Will I See You Again" with Thomas Anders. He provided three songs for their album Out of the Past Into the Future. This album marked their return to Ariola Records and was their most successful in 15 years. Two more songs from the album were released: a new recording of "Dirty Ol' Man" and "Hurry Hurry."
In 1996, they released a new "best of" album, Best & New Hits: When Will I See You Again. It included four re-recorded hits and six new songs. A Christmas album, Christmas With The Three Degrees, was recorded in 1998. This album included a cover of Wham's "Last Christmas". This song was released as a remixed dance single. It became their 15th (and final) UK top 60 single, reaching number 54.
Helen Scott, Valerie Holiday, and Cynthia Garrison continued to tour. They made their first US TV appearance in over 20 years in 2003. This was on the PBS show Rhythm, Love, and Soul. They performed with Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, and Mary Wilson. They also joined the 'Best Disco In Town 2004 Tour' with other famous groups.
In 2008, the group released the album Helen, Valerie, Cynthia: The Greatest Hits. This album had brand new recordings of their biggest hits and some fan favorites.
In 2007 and 2008, the group, along with original member Fayette Pinkney, received awards. These were from BEMA (The Black Entertainment and Music Association) and the City of Philadelphia. They were honored for their music over five decades. This event brought "The Four Degrees" together for the first time.
Fayette Pinkney passed away on June 27, 2009, at age 61, after a short illness.
In 2009, the group released their first studio album in over ten years, Undercover 2009. It had eight cover versions of classic songs by artists like ABBA and Stevie Wonder. The next year, they released a new song called "Holding Back."
In January 2011, Freddie Pool replaced Cynthia Garrison. Cynthia was suffering from Piriformis syndrome.
In 2016, The Three Degrees released their first studio album with Freddie Pool. It was called Strategy: Our Tribute To Philadelphia.
The lineup of Holiday, Scott, and Garrison was the longest-running version of the group (1989–2010).
Members timeline
Albums and Songs
- Maybe (1970)
- The Three Degrees (1973)
- International (1975)
- A Toast of Love (1976)
- Standing Up for Love (1977)
- New Dimensions (1978)
- 3D (1979)
- Album of Love (1982)
- …And Holding (1989)
- Out of the Past, into the Future (1993)
- Christmas with the Three Degrees (1998)
- Undercover 2009 (2009)
- Strategy - Our Tribute to Philadelphia (2016)
Movies and TV Shows
- The French Connection (1971)
- Sanford and Son (Season 3, Episode 4 titled “Presenting the Three Degrees” aired October 5, 1973)
- Birds of Prey (2020)
See also
In Spanish: The Three Degrees para niños
- List of funk musicians
- List of disco artists (S-Z)
- List of people from Philadelphia
- List of artists who reached number one in the United States
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
