Honey Cone, a famous American R&B and soul girl group, was formed in 1968. The group consisted of lead singer Edna Wright, along with Carolyn Willis and Shelly Clark. They are best known for their hit single “Want Ads,” which reached the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Honey Cone was the flagship female group for Hot Wax Records, which was run by Holland–Dozier–Holland after they left Motown Records.
Their Backgrounds
Before coming together as Honey Cone, each member had their own experience in the music industry.
Edna Wright: Edna started her singing career in a gospel group called The COGIC Singers in 1960. She had connections in the industry through her sister, Darlene Love, and worked with notable artists like Phil Spector, the Righteous Brothers, Johnny Rivers, and Ray Charles.
Carolyn Willis: Carolyn began singing at a young age and was a member of the girl group the Girlfriends. She also did session work with artists like Lou Rawls and O.C. Smith and was part of Darlene Love’s group, The Blossoms.
Shelly Clark: Shelly started her career early, even releasing an album with her brother. She appeared in a Broadway musical and became an Ikette in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. She also toured with Little Richard and Dusty Springfield and appeared on The Jim Nabors Show.
Formation of Honey Cone
The trio of Edna Wright, Carolyn Willis, and Shelly Clark first performed together on an Andy Williams TV special in 1968. They were brought together when Edna filled in for her sister Darlene Love on the show. Impressed by their performance, Eddie Holland, a former Motown Records producer, signed them to Hot Wax Records. He named the group Honey Cone, and despite initial reservations, the name stuck. Most of their songs were written by General Johnson and Greg Perry, who was Edna’s boyfriend at the time.
Their music was influenced by groups like Martha & the Vandellas and The Marvelettes, known for their blend of sweetness and grit in their sound.
Musical Success
Honey Cone’s first single “While You’re Out Looking for Sugar” peaked at No. 26 on the R&B chart. Their follow-up “Girls, It Ain’t Easy” reached No. 8 on the same chart. Their biggest hit came with “Want Ads,” which topped both the R&B and pop charts and sold over a million copies. The group went on to have more hits, including “Stick-Up,” “One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show,” and “The Day I Found Myself.” They were even named The Best Female Vocal Group by the National Association of Television and Radio Announcers (NATRA) in 1971.
Challenges
Despite their success, Honey Cone faced challenges in 1973 as their releases did not perform well. Hot Wax and its sister label, Invictus Records, encountered financial difficulties due to problems with distributors.
