The Velvelettes

The Velvelettes were an American singing girl group, signed to Motown in the 1960s. Their biggest chart success occurred in 1964 when Norman Whitfield produced “Needle in a Haystack”, which peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number in Canada.

The group was founded in 1961 by Bertha Barbee-McNeal (June 12, 1940 – December 15, 2022) and Mildred Gill Arbor, students at Western Michigan University. Mildred recruited her younger sister Carolyn (also known as Cal or Caldin), who was in 9th grade, and Cal’s friend Betty Kelley, a junior in high school. Bertha recruited her cousin Norma Barbee, a freshman at Flint Junior College. Cal was chosen as the group’s lead singer.

A classmate at Western Michigan University, Robert Bullock, was Berry Gordy’s nephew, and he encouraged the group to audition for Motown. The group signed to Motown in late 1962 and started recording in January 1963. They recorded at the Hitsville USA studio and “There He Goes” and “That’s The Reason Why”, produced by William Stevenson, was released as a single via the IPG Records label (Independent Producers Group). The recordings included a young Stevie Wonder playing the harmonica. While the group awaited their chance at stardom, they recorded for many producers, some of which were re-recorded by other artists including fellow labelmates Martha and the Vandellas and The Supremes. The Velvelettes were not used to provide backing vocals since Motown already had its in-house backing group, The Andantes.

The Velvelettes got their break charts in the spring of 1964 thanks to young producer Norman Whitfield, who produced “Needle in a Haystack” as a single for the group, on Motown’s VIP Records imprint. “Needle in a Haystack” peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 in mid-1964. The group recorded its follow-up, “He Was Really Sayin’ Somethin'”, with Whitfield again producing, and spent time on various Motown-sponsored tours as a support act. In September 1964, after recording “Dancing in the Street” earlier in June, Betty Kelley officially left the group to join Martha and the Vandellas, and the quintet became a quartet.

Three decades after the group left Motown, the company released a CD, The Very Best of the Velvelettes, featuring 15 tracks, including four previously unreleased selections. A 19-track CD The Velvelettes: The Best Of was released in the UK in 2001. The 2004 The Velvelettes: The Motown Anthology is a double album with 48 tracks.

In 2006, the Velvelettes contributed to the double CD Masters of Funk, Soul, and Blues Present a Soulful Tale of Two Cities. Lamont Dozier, Freda Payne, George Clinton, and Bobby Taylor recorded remakes of songs from Philadelphia International Records. The Velvelettes sang “One Of a Kind Love Affair”, originally recorded by the Spinners. The other CD featured Jean Carne, Bunny Sigler, and Jimmy Ellis.

Founding member Bertha Barbee-McNeal died of colon cancer in hospice in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on December 15, 2022, at the age of 82.

Members of the Group

Carolyn Gill
Mildred Gill
Norma Barbee

Betty Kelly
Annette McMillan
Sandra Tilley
Bertha Barbee-McNeal