Coley, Doris (1941–2000)

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Coley, Doris (1941–2000)

African-American singer. Name variations: Doris Coley Kenner, Doris Kenner-Jackson; The Shirelles. Born Doris Coley, Aug 2, 1941, in Goldsboro, North Carolina; died of breast cancer, Feb 4, 2000, in Sacramento, California.

With Shirley Owens, Addie "Micki" Harris and Beverly Lee, formed the Shirelles in Passaic, New Jersey (1958), one of the 1st all-girl groups of the rock era; with group, performed their self-written "I Met Him on a Sunday" for Florence Greenberg and was signed to her Tiara label (the song was so popular, it was bought by Decca Records); with group, released the hit "Tonight's the Night" (1960), the 1# pop hit "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" (1961), as well as "Mama Said," "Soldier Boy," "Foolish Little Girl" and "Baby It's You" (1963); recorded and performed until group split up (late 1960s); sang with group's surviving members, Owens and Lee, at Rhythm and Blues Foundation awards ceremony (1994) and on Dionne Warwick album. Shirelles were inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1996).