(L-R) Sonia Goring, Rene Minus, Arlene Smith and Jackie Landry (seated) of the R&B vocal group "The Chantels" pose for a portrait session in 1957 in New York City, New York. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Arlene Smith, the lead singer who helped launch the 1950s doo-wop girl group the Chantels into stardom with their classic "Maybe," died Wednesday in a New York City hospital after a heart attack at 84.
Big picture view:
Smith emerged at a time when male doo-wop groups dominated the charts, but the Chantels, one of the first Black girl groups to break through nationally, carved out space that helped pave the way for acts like the Shirelles, the Ronettes and the Crystals.
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The backstory:
Recorded in a makeshift church studio, "Maybe" became a Top 20 hit, sold more than a million copies and was later covered by artists ranging from Janis Joplin to the Three Degrees. Rolling Stone eventually ranked it No. 199 on its list of the 500 greatest songs.
Smith left the Chantels in 1959 as their label collapsed, briefly worked with producer Phil Spector, and later toured with a new lineup of singers. She stepped away from performing in the 1970s, earned a master’s degree in education and spent years teaching music in New York City schools before retiring. She never married or had children, according to her manager, Paul Errante.
The Chantels were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002, cementing their legacy as pioneers who expanded the possibilities for women in early rock.
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What they're saying:
"The Chantels forced listeners to reconsider doo-wop as something more than a man’s domain, and the reality of a girl group holding forth on guys’ turf laid out cultural possibilities in an entirely new way," said NPR music critic Tim Riley in his 2004 book. "With ‘Maybe,’ Arlene Smith infused her vocal with so much determined naiveté that she transformed all the anxiety of a doomed relationship into a fervent wish for its revival."
Dig deeper:
The Chantels had additional hits, including "Every Night (I Pray)" and "Look in My Eyes" before Smith left the group.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by The Associated Press. This story was reported from Orlando.