Wednesday 4 January 2023

Priscilla Paris born 4 January1941

Priscilla Paris (January 4, 1941 – March 5, 2004) was the lead singer of the 1960’s American girl group from San Francisco, The Paris Sisters. 

It was the Andrews Sisters who gave the Paris Sisters their first professional leg-up in show business. In 1954, their mother strategically placed her daughters in the audience of every matinee performance of an Andrews engagement at the Warfield Theater in their hometown of San Francisco. Dressed alike, they dutifully followed their mother's directive and sat there mouthing the words to the Andrews' songs. 

Finally, as Priscilla recalled in a 1990 interview, "Our mom took us backstage to meet them." The Andrews Sisters invited Priscilla, Sherrell and Albeth on stage to sing. An MCA agent in the audience heard and signed them, and the Paris Sisters were on their way. They had been non-pros since the late 1940s; now, for the next seven years they performed a professional act in a style that mixed dancing, comedy and more. They played fairs, USO tours, Vegas, did radio, and signed a recording contract with Decca Records. Nearly all their singles for the label found the trio recording in a style very similar to the highly popular McGuire Sisters. 

The stylistic turnabout for the trio came in 1961 when their mother put the girls in touch with record label owner Lester Sill. Sherrell recalls "His protégé was Phil Spector and they were looking for groups or an unusual sound. Phil came to our home one day and sat with us, and interviewed us and had each one of us sing separately. And that was it, we started recording with him." Spector completely revamped the group from top to bottom. Suddenly, instead of belting out a song, Priscilla was almost whispering the lyrics in a style described by columnist Walter Winchell as the sexiest he had ever heard; with Albeth and Sherrell relegated to playing a more supporting role in the group. 

                             

The  song was one of his earliest hits, 'I Love How You Love Me'", which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. However, the recording was so costly that the Sisters made little or no money off of it, nor from the other three hits they cut with Spector at Gregmark Records. Some of the group's other hit songs include the US Top 40 single "He Knows I Love Him Too Much" (March 1962, No. 34), "All Through The Night" (1961), "Be My Boy" (No. 56), "Let Me Be The One" (No. 87), and "Dream Lover" (No. 91). 

At the time Spector was also recording a Paris Sisters album for the label, and involved in a feud with Sill over the escalating cost of the project. Sill's version of what happened next was that an assistant accidentally discarded the master tapes of the album. However, other accounts of the episode, told by informed bystanders over the years, hint at events somewhat less than accidental. Whatever the cause of the tapes' destruction, shortly thereafter Spector split with Sill and Gregmark, and the Sisters were soon cut loose from the label. 

Pluck ensued, though, and the threesome were able to land on their feet. They continued performing and recorded three albums, culminating, in 1967, with “The Paris Sisters Sing Everything Under The Sun!'. The pluperfect Wall-Of-Soundalike recording was overseen by Jimmy Bowen and arranged by Spector standby Jack Nitzsche, but was not a hit. Shortly after the album, due to tensions arising from twenty years of subordinating their individual personalities and talents to the good of the group, the Paris Sisters didn't so much split up as drift apart. Priscilla went out on her own and recorded three solo LPs, 'Priscilla Sings Herself', 'Priscilla Loves Billy' (both 1967) and 'Love Is ...' (1978), the first and last of which contained all self-penned material. Albeth and Sherrell continued to perform, but none of the three ever again achieved the high profile of the Paris Sisters act. 

In the late 1970s Priscilla Paris had an accident resulting in facial paralysis. She stopped singing for a while and went through a period of serious depression. During that time she "accidentally" (her word) ended up in Paris, France. She fell in love with the city, continued her education there and eventually ran her own business, Telamerique, which specialized in educating French hotel workers how to interact with English-speaking tourists. "I'm at the right place at the right time. Everything I ever did that was disjointed has fallen into place. Plus. . .I love it!" she told an interviewer in 1990. She also occasionally sang in small Parisian clubs. 

Sherrell Paris formed a band called Sherell Paris and the New People that toured until the late 70s. She remarried for the second time and became an executive assistant on Bob Barker's TV show, The Price Is Right until she was released in 2000. In the spring of 2002 Priscilla returned to the U.S. for a proposed Paris Sisters reunion concert. Sadly, the show was aborted after the 18-hour flight left her too exhausted to perform. On March 5, 2004, Priscilla died at her home in France, due to the result of a fall. She was 59. 

Albeth Paris went into independent TV production with her husband. She died in Palm Springs, California, on December 5, 2014. She was 79. 

(Edited from Bill Reed’s article @ Spectropop, Wikipedia, AllMusic & History Of Pop) 

17 comments:

boppinbob said...

For “Priscilla Paris – Love, Priscilla - Her 1960s Solo Recordings (2012 Ace)” go here:

https://www.imagenetz.de/dXd9o

1 He Noticed Me 2:45
2 Make Believe World 2:20
3 Stone Is Very, Very Cold 2:19
4 Help Me 2:27
5 I'm Home 3:08
6 Wandering 2:22
7 He Owns The World 3:16
8 My Window 2:36
9 I Can't Complain 2:26
10 Look What You Have Done To Me 2:16
11 By The Time I Get To Phoenix 2:44
12 Some Little Lovin' Lie 3:32
13 The Dark Side Of Loving You 2:42
14 Twelve Twenty Nine 3:06
15 I Can't Understand 2:53
16 Just Friends 2:32
17 He's Funny That Way 3:10
18 Do Nothing 'Til You Hear From Me 3:21
19 There Is No Greater Love 3:17
20 I Loves You Porgy 2:58
21 Stars Fell On Alabama 2:51
22 Tenderly 3:39
23 My Man 2:57
24 Moonglow 2:39
25 Crazy He Calls Me 3:23
26 In My Solitude 3:32
27 Girls Were Made To Take Care Of Boys 3:29

Tracks 1-10 from "Priscilla Sings Herself", York LP 4005 (1967)
Tracks 12-15 previously unissued Happy Tiger recordings (2012)
Tracks 16-27 from "Priscilla Loves Billy", Happy Tiger LP ST 1002 (1969)

=====================================================================

For “THE PARIS SISTERS - THE FIRST TEN YEARS” (2022 Jasmine)” go here:

https://www.imagenetz.de/do2v7

1. THE BULLY BULLY MAN (with Jimmy Diamond & His Sparkling Music)
2. ZORCH BOOGIE (with Jimmy Diamond & His Sparkling Music)
3. CHRISTMAS IN MY HOMETOWN
4. THE MAN WITH THE MISTLETOE MOUSTACHE
5. OOH LA LA
6. WHOSE ARMS ARE YOU MISSING
7. HUCKLEBERRY PIE
8. BABY, HONEY, BABY
9. TRULY (with Gary Crosby)
10. I WANNA
11. THE KNOW-HOW
12. LOVER BOY
13. I LOVE YOU DEAR
14. DAUGHTER, DAUGHTER!
15. SO MUCH, SO VERY MUCH
16. MIND READER
17. DON'T TELL ANYBODY
18. (Don't Stop, Don't Stop) TELL ME MORE
19. OLD ENOUGH TO CRY
20. SOMEDAY
21. MY ORIGINAL LOVE
22. BE MY BOY
23. I'LL BE CRYING TOMORROW
24. I LOVE HOW YOU LOVE ME
25. ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT
26. HE KNOWS I LOVE HIM TOO MUCH
27. A LONELY GIRL'S PRAYER
28. LET ME BE THE ONE
29. WHAT AM I TO DO
30. YES - I LOVE YOU
31. ONCE UPON A WHILE AGO

THE PARIS SISTERS are chiefly remembered for their winsome, million-selling 'I Love How You Love Me', one of Phil Spector's early freelance productions, in 1961. However, they were already a hugely experienced trio, having been cutting records - initially as something of an Andrews Sisters' tribute act - since 1953, for labels like Cavalier, Decca and Imperial.

Spector produced three further hits with the girls, 'Be My Boy', 'He Knows I Love Him Too Much' and 'Let Me Be The One', while 'Yes - I Love You' was a significant regional success.All are included on this compilation, which presents the very best of their recorded output between 1953-62, and also features twenty pre-Spector rarities. Few of their early sides have ever appeared in the digital format previously, making this a wholly unique, must-have collection. (Jasmine notes)

A big thank you goes to Summer Souvenir for the loan of above CD.

boppinbob said...

I also found this homemade compilation (Complete Singles) a while back on the 45’s Are Alive label from 2014. It was originally a double CD containing all the tracks on the Jasmine release plus a few from the 50’s and remaining singles from 1964 to 1974 with solo singles from Priscilla Paris. So to save repetition all the Jasmine and Ace tracks are omitted.

For “The Paris Sisters – The Rest Of The Singles (45s are Alive 2014)” go here:

https://www.imagenetz.de/aT4ea

1. His And Hers (Gary Crosby & The Paris Sisters).mp3 (1955)
2. Oh Yes, You Do.mp3
3. Mistaken.mp3 (1956)
4. Dream Lover.mp3 (1964)
5. Lonely Girl.mp3
6. When I Fall In Love.mp3
7. Once Upon A Time.mp3
8. Why Do I Take It From You.mp3
9. Always Waitin'.mp3 (1965)
10. Sincerely.mp3
11. Too Good To Be True.mp3 (1966)
12. I'm Me.mp3
13. You.mp3
14. My Good Friend.mp3
15. It's My Party.mp3
16. Some Of Your Lovin'.mp3
17. Long After Tonight Is All Over.mp3 (1967)
18. Stand Naked Clown.mp3
19. The Ugliest Girl In Town.mp3 (1968)
20. Golden Days.mp3
21. Greener Days.mp3
22. I Love How You Love Me (Priscilla Paris).mp3 (1974)
23. Over You (Priscilla Paris).mp3

Don Dan said...

2 Priscilla Paris albums

1967 Priscilla Sings Herself

https://www.mediafire.com/file/hqkmd595k7jm512/Paris_Priscilla_%25281941-2014%2529_1967_Priscilla_Sings_Herself.zip/file

1969 Priscilla Loves Billy

https://www.mediafire.com/file/ohe5yud3kg3gwu0/Paris_Priscilla_%25281941-2014%2529_1969_Priscilla_Loves_Billy.zip/file

and 2 with The Paris Sisters

https://www.mediafire.com/file/y8sq2awhwgho96v/The_Paris_Sisters_1961-65_Sing_for_All_Their_Boys_1.zip/file

https://www.mediafire.com/file/3ld6gxjbh9qvhur/The_Paris_Sisters_1961-65_Sing_for_All_Their_Boys_2.zip/file

Have fun !

Don Dan
https://www.youtube.com/c/DonDanMusicChannel

boppinbob said...

Hello Don Dan, Thank you so much for your wonderful contribution. Much appreciated. Regards, Bob

dukiejosh said...

Hello, I'm new here. I just came across your page when I trying to find albums for Patsy Ann Noble. I am so grateful for the ones you shared because they are pretty impossible to find. Here is some more Priscilla/Paris Sisters albums to add to the collection.

Priscilla Paris - Love is (1978)
The Paris Sisters - Sing Everything Under The Sun (1967)
The Paris Sisters - Best Of The Paris Sisters
The Paris Sisters - Essential Masters

https://mega.nz/folder/hTtRyAIC#ijBWDPKpnQIh1mrp-ehhlg


boppinbob said...

Hello dukiejosh, Thanks for the additionla Paris Sisters and i wish you good luck on your new music blog. Regards, Bob

Guitarradeplastico,scraping oddities said...

Many thanks,plus info in the fabulous Phil Spector site with bios
https://spectropop.com/remembers/PPobit.htm

Priscilla Paris

...The stylistic turnabout for the trio came in 1961 when their mother - an ex-opera singer and "a very aggressive little lady," Sherrell recalled in a latter-day interview - put the girls in touch with record label owner Lester Sill. "His protégé was Phil Spector and they were looking for groups or an unusual sound. Phil came to our home one day and sat with us, and interviewed us and had each one of us sing separately. And that was it, we started recording with him." Spector completely revamped the group from top to bottom. Suddenly, instead of belting out a song, Priscilla was almost whispering the lyrics in a style described by columnist Walter Winchell as the sexiest he had ever heard; with Albeth and Sherrell relegated to - somewhat reluctantly, according to various interviews with them - playing a more supporting role in the group...

rosieandrobbie said...

Hi Don Dan, sorry , please usu another download host for the 2 Paris Sisters CD,s (Sing for all the boys 1 and 2) This time mediafire does not work, Regards, Robert

Don Dan said...

You have to try again or change your browser.
It worked fine for more than 50 people.
I can't tell you more.

Don Dan
https://www.youtube.com/c/DonDanMusicChannel

boppinbob said...

Hello rosieandandrobbie, I am in the same boat as you. It seems you need patience and luck for Mediafire .There seems to be an Amazon diverter now encoded in the system. It took me a few days to download some of Don Dan's previous links but got them all but one in the end. If you still have difficulty after a few days even with another browser, I will re=post the two albums in question as a one off, as I don't want to be reposting all of DD's links for the unlucky downloaders. I just have enough computer time a day for my own blog and forums (wife permitting). Regards, Bob.

rosieandrobbie said...

Great Bob, Thank you for your answer. I tried my other browser(Firefox), but with the same negative result(Get an error in the address) .Very kind of you that you want to repost the 2 albs with a different host.(I tried again today about 40 times) Have a nice weekend, Robert

boppinbob said...

Hi Rosie&Robbie Here's both of the CD's you couldn't get

https://www.upload.ee/files/14813529/Paris_Sisters.rar.html

rosieandrobbie said...

Hi Bob, Thank you so much for your help.Regards, Robert

Raeghnar's Rock said...

@ Boppin Bob & DD ...it seems sometimes mediafire lets the first several downloads go fine until it's system recognises the file then does the block. Not matter what browser I use or how many times go away come back, refresh etc most times MF uploads are undownloadable. only exceptions are when it's not yet recognised the File or the file is not in Copyright/is Out-Of-Print.

Nick said...

Hi Boppin, do you mind please re-uploading “The Paris Sisters – The Rest Of The Singles (45s are Alive 2014) as the link is dead, & I cannot find it anywhere else.

Thanks for your great blog!!

Many thanks again from,
Nick

boppinbob said...

Hello Nick, Here's the new link for Best of the Rest which only has the tracks not on the Jasmine or Ace CD's. (I edited it to save repetition)

https://www.upload.ee/files/15437722/ParisSisters_BestOfTheRest.rar.html

Nick said...

Hey Bob of the Boppin variety!

Thanks very much for your super quick response. Very much appreciated!!

Am slowly going. thru the rest of your blog, excellent!

Cheers & thanks again from,
Nick