They've still got it
The Shirelles get Fredericksburg Music Festival off to a rocking start
By MARTY MORRISON
Date published: 6/7/2004
Mary Washington College's Dodd Auditorium was filled with a mostly gray-haired audience for Fredericksburg Music Festival's opening performance Saturday night. But there was nothing stuffy about the crowd that clapped and swayed to the 1960s sounds of The Shirelles.
Fifty- and sixty-somethings sang along with the first girl band to sell a million copies. Tunes like "Dedicated to the One I Love" and "Mama Said" have been ingrained in their musical memories since their first crushes in junior high school.
I was 9 years old when The Shirelles recorded that first hit single in 1959, but their songs were imbedded in my spirit throughout my teen years. "Dedicated" barely made it to the Top 10 during the first release, but soared to No. 3 three years later. It was just as remarkable 40 years later as original member Beverly Lee crooned it with 14-year veterans Sassy Marshall and Diane Spann.
The Shirelles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Over the past 40 years, they've performed on stages and concert halls all over the world. They were among the first women to write their own music and launched the careers of songwriters such as Carole King and Burt Bacharach. The Shirelles' songs have been recorded by The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, Cher, Dionne Warwick, and The Four Seasons.
At Dodd Auditorium, the trio slinked on stage in black sparkly gowns and set the audience on fire with "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," "Tonight's The Night" and "Baby, It's You." Their invitation to the crowd to sing and dance along with them prompted several couples to dance rock 'n' roll in the aisles, while others stood at their seats and clapped to the beat.
Before intermission, the singers paid a nostalgic tribute to fellow contemporaries Stevie Wonder, The Temptations and Tina Turner with their hits like "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," "The Same Old Song" and "Proud Mary."
After intermission, the middle-aged-plus musicians burst back on stage in blazing red cocktail dresses and matching sequined heels. They honored soldiers today and yesterday with their song, "Soldier Boy." The audience followed their cue to join them in the 1962 hit that sold 15 million copies.
The crowd loved it when the singers invited six men to join them in on stage for the song, "I Met Him On Sunday." They cheered later when the trio performed high kicks Rockettes-style and again when Beverly Lee performed her fancy footwork to "Johnny Be Good."
By the end of the evening, a group of 50 or more formed a musical train dancing up and down the aisles as The Shirelles belted out "Love Train." After the show, oldies fans flocked around like star-struck teens to get programs autographed.
The upbeat performance proved that The Shirelles can still light up a stage after 40 years. As for the gray-haired audience, they showed they still know how to have fun.
The Fredericksburg Music Festival continues with a chamber music performance Tuesday at 8 p.m. at St. George's Episcopal Church.
To reach MARTY MORRISON: 540/374-5423 mmorrison@freelancestar.com
Date published: 6/7/2004
The Shirelles Review
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