The Three Degrees
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- For the Microsoft product, see threedegrees.; For the UK triumvirate of black footballers that starred for West Bromwich Albion in the 1970s, see either Cyrille Regis, Brendan Batson or Laurie Cunningham
The Three Degrees are a female Philly soul and disco vocal musical group formed in 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although always fronted by a three person line-up, a total of eleven women have rotationally represented the group so far. The original members were Fayette Pickney, Shirley Porter, and Linda Turner. They were discovered by Richard (Ritchie) Barrett. Turner and Porter were replaced by Helen Scott and Janet Harmon in late 1963; Sheila Ferguson replaced Scott in 1966. Valerie Holiday (a Miss Tan Boston winner) replaced Harmon in 1967. "Draw The Line" was a Top 40 hit for the group in the mid-60s; they also hit the top 40 in 1970 with an update of the Chantals' "Maybe".
Best known for their hits on Philadelphia International, The Three Degrees had several hits in the mid-1970s, the biggest of which was the #1 UK and #2 US single "When Will I See You Again" (released in 1973, but not a hit until 1974). "When Will I See You Again" was used in a 2002 and 2006 advertising campaign by the Food Standards Agency.
The group appeared in William Friedkin's hit 1971 film The French Connection, as a nightclub act singing "Everybody's Going To The Moon". Their vocals are featured on the end of the Soul Train theme song, "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" by MFSB. In 1976 Pickney left and was replaced by the returning Helen Scott. Vera Brown replaced Ferguson in 1986, but was only in the group for a very short time before being replaced by Rea Harris in 1987, then Rea was replaced by Victoria Wallace in 1988, who was then replaced by Cynthia Garrison in 1989, and who is still a main member of The Three Degrees to this day.
The group's career was revitalised towards the end of the 1970s by a foray into disco music, with a string of hits produced by Giorgio Moroder, featuring his signature electronic rhythms with tracks like Givin' Up, Givin' In, The Runner (written by Ferguson) and Jump The Gun, as pioneered earlier by Donna Summer.
A well-known fan of the group is Prince Charles, who invited them to perform at Buckingham Palace for his 30th birthday party.
In 2004 Sheila Ferguson released her debut solo album, New Kind of Medicine and the lead single, sharing the same title as the album, was complimented with a vibrant promo video, found here, directed by Burning Vision Entertainment that mixed retro with modern stylings to bring Ferguson firmly back into the limelight.
[edit] Members
- Fayette Pinkney (1963-1976)
- Linda Turner (1963)
- Shirley Poole (1963)
- Helen Scott (1963-1966, 1976-present)
- Janet Harmon (1963-1967)
- Sheila Ferguson (1966-1986)
- Valerie Holiday (1967-present)
- Vera Brown (1986-1987)
- Rhea Harris (1987-1988)
- Victoria Wallace (1988-1989)
- Cynthia Garrison (1989-present)
| Members | Years in Group | ||||||||
| 1963 | 1963-66 | 1966-67 | 1967-76 | 1976-86 | 1986-87 | 1987-88 | 1988-89 | 1989-present | |
| Fayette Pinkney | Pinkney | Pinkney | Pinkney | Pinkney | |||||
| Linda Turner | Turner | ||||||||
| Shirley Poole | Poole | ||||||||
| Helen Scott | Scott | Scott | Scott | Scott | Scott | Scott | |||
| Janet Harmon | Harmon | Harmon | |||||||
| Sheila Ferguson | Ferguson | Ferguson | Ferguson | ||||||
| Valerie Holiday | Holiday | Holiday | Holiday | Holiday | Holiday | Holiday | |||
| Vera Brown | Brown | ||||||||
| Rhea Harris | Harris | ||||||||
| Victoria Wallace | Wallace | ||||||||
| Cynthia Garrison | Garrison | ||||||||
