The Chantels were an all-girl vocal act from New York, who followed in the footsteps of The Bobbettes as one of the first African-American girl groups to enjoy chart success in the US.

The original five members consisted of Arlene Smith (lead) (October 5, 1941), Sonia Goring Wilson (born Millicent Goring) (1940), Renée Minus White (1943), Jackie Landry Jackson (May 22, 1941 – December 23, 1997) and Lois Harris (1940). They took their name from their school, St. Frances of Chantal, and unlike many of their peers were more influenced by classical and Latin music than by gospel. They were still at high school when they were discovered by Richard Barrett of The Valentines, and signed to the End label in 1957, having their first pop and R&B hits the same year, featuring the lead vocals of Arlene Smith.

This 2CD collection comprises their A- and B-sides on the End, Gone and Carlton labels from this era, plus the tracks from their albums We Are The Chantels, There’s Our Song Again and The Chantels On Tour not otherwise released on singles. Their first single was He’s Gone in August 1957, written by Arlene Smith. Released in December 1957, their second single, Maybe, was a Billboard Hot 100 hit and sold more than a million copies gaining the girls a gold disc.

Other tracks included are the No.6 hit Look In My Eyes and R&B chart entries from these years He’s Gone, Every Night (I Pray), I Love You So, Summer’s Love and Well I Told You So. Although they had a couple of minor Hot 100 entries later in the ‘60s, this collection provides a reasonably comprehensive overview of the primary era of their career, and is a fine showcase for their distinctive style and sound as they paved the way for other girl groups in the charts.

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