Honey Cone were the first girl group to usher in a new, more assertive era lyrically with their strong messages about female empowerment. They weren’t singing about “Be My Baby,” their lyrics were a rallying call to women everywhere to stand up for themselves as they entered into the 1970’s.
The iconic group formed by Shelly Clark, Edna Wright, and Carolyn Willis in 1968 were the premier female group for Hot Wax Records, operated by the famed writing team Holland–Dozier–Holland. This trio wrote, arranged and produced the songs that helped define the Motown sound in the 1960s, and Honey Cone was the first band they signed and produced after they departed from Motown in the 1968.
An original member and co-founder of The Honey Cone, Shelly Clark has an extensive and diverse career in the entertainment industry. She recorded and toured with Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones, and Little Richard. She also toured nationally with The Ike & Tina Turner Revue as one of the storied Ikettes. With Honey Cone, Shelly was part of creating an enduring legacy of Billboard No. 1 and Top 10 hits that garnered numerous gold records and esteemed industry awards.
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Honey Cone was the first act to appear on the hit televised show Soul Train. The trio also appeared on numerous other television shows including Andy Williams, American Bandstand, Johnny Carson Tonight Show, Sonny and Cher, and Merv Griffin. See video links of performances HERE.
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Honey Cone released Want Ads proved to be their biggest success, topping both the R&B and Pop Charts, selling over one million copies, awarded with a gold record in May 1971.
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Honey Cone had another #1 hit pop hit with Stick-Up which also sold more than one million copies.
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Named “The Best Female Vocal Group” by the National Association of Television and Radio Announcers in 1970.
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Named “The Best Female Vocal Group by the National Association of Television and Radio Announcers (NATRA) in 1971
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They received the prestigious FOREVER NUMBER 1 AWARD for their pop hit record WANT ADS from Billboard Music.
She has been married to Verdine White, the iconic bass player and co-founder of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Earth, Wind & Fire for 38 years and counting.
Shelly Clark White continues the legacy of Honey Cone by joining with renowned singers Wendy Smith-Brune and Kathy Merrick who continue to tour and perform the hits of Honey Cone. For more information on Honey Cone and their legacy, please visit https://www.honeycone.biz.
