By MICHAEL BOYLAN
Weekend Editor

What is a Shirelle? To shirr means to either draw cloth together along two or more parallel lines or to bake eggs, removed from their shell, until they are set.

Though the rhythym and blues group from the 1960s doesn't have anything to do with either of these actions, their name is better than what it once was; The Poquellos. The Shirrelles will be appearing this Friday and Saturday bringing their legendary sound to the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater and possibly offering an explanation of their name.

The Shirrelles, from Passaic, N.J., began performing in high school under the name of The Poquellos. They were a quartet — Shirley Owens, Addie “Micki” Harris, Doris Coley and Beverly Lee — that played dances, parties and other social functions.

It was at one of these functions in 1958 that a girl in their class, Mary Jane Greenberg, heard the song, “I Met Him On A Sunday.” Greenberg's mother, Florence, ran a small recording studio out of their home and recorded and sold the song over to Decca Records.

Soon after the release of the single, Greenberg became the group's manager and formed a new label with Luther Dixon. The label was called Scepter Records and would go on to release nearly all of The Shirrelles' music.

Over the next few years, The Shirrelles became the most influential girl group in the history of rock and roll. They were practically in the top 10 for three straight years, recording the hits “Dedicated To The One I Love,” “Soldier Boy,” “One Fine Day” and “Foolish Little Girl.” They were such an influence that The Beatles covered two of their songs on their first album. The charts were being inundated with groups that tried to sound like The Shirrelles and by 1963 the group had hit a standstill.

Luther Dixon left Scepter Records in 1963, which started a legal dispute between himself, The Shirrelles, and Florence Greenberg. The lawsuit lasted over three years and The Shirrelles were not allowed to release any material during that time. It was a very trying time and Doris Coley left the band. The Shirrelles were buried beneath a thousand groups that sounded like them and an explosive time in America as the Vietnam conflict was escalating.

The remaining members of the group occasionally toured with the rock and roll legends circuit, playing with artists and bands that hit their crest of popularity when they did. It was after one of these shows in 1982 that Harris died of heart failure. The group was silent for 10 years until they were awarded a million dollars in a lawsuit against Scepter records for royalties that were owed to them.

The group reunited two years later with Coley and performed at the Rhythym and Blues Foundation's Pioneer Awards Show. Soon after, they were inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame.

Currently, they tour on the oldies circuit, and play all of their hits for baby boomers searching for that nostalgic vibe. Their influence has stretched into modern music and can be heard in groups like En Vogue, Xscape, and even the Spice Girls.

Tickets are still available for this weekend's performances. They will be playing with Terry Lee and the GT's. The show wiill begin at 8 p.m. and tickets are $21. Call 770-631-0630 for information

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