Vandellas Question

[floyjoy678]

Does anyone know when Annette Sterling actually left the Vandellas? I've read that she was gone by late 1963 but that doesn't really make sense because Betty apparently didn't join the Vandellas until the summer of 1964 when she also recorded her first song with the group "Dancing In the Streets". Keep in mind "Jimmy Mack" was recorded a month before so does that mean it was Rosalind and some random girl doing the backgrounds on that song? Or did Annette leave in late 1963 and Betty took her spot onstage but Annette continued to record in the studio till she finally left permanently? I tried looking in Martha's book but she doesn't shed too much light on Annette's leaving except for the fact that she got married and pregnant people accused her of bringing Betty into the group only because she looked like Annette.

Also I was listening to "You've Been In Love Too Long" and I always thought it was the Andantes but I just realized I can actually really hear Betty Kelly back there and Rosalind as well but more so Betty. I guess it was them and the Andantes doing the backgrounds.

[carole cucumber]

Martha Reeves & The Vandellas 50th Anniversary Singles Collection corrects a statement made in TCMSC. In TCMSC , it was stated that Annette left in December 1963. MR&TV 50thASC asserts that Annette left in June 1964. She was featured with Martha & Roz on the picture sleeve for 'Dancing In the Street' even though the song was recorded on May 22, 1964 and the Vandellas were dubbed in on June 29, 1964 .
For 'You've Been In Love Too Long' [[track recorded June 13,1965; assigned to Stevie Wonder; reassigned to the Vandellas and their vocals recorded the same day) Ivy Jo Hunter has confirmed that the Andantes augmented the Vandellas backgrounds on YBILTL.

[motown_david]

I asked Annette directly when she left the Vandellas and she said that it was June 1964. Her last recording session with the group was the Jimmy Mack / 3rd Finger Left Hand session on 18th June 1964.