The Sweet Inspirations – The Atlantic Years

 

The Sweet Inspirations are an American R'n'B girl group from Newark, New Jersey, founded by Cissy Houston. Mostly known for their work as backup singers on studio recordings for other R'n'B and rock artists but also a Grammy-nominated recording act in their own right.

The group's origins went back to the late 1950's when the Gospelaires, a group which included siblings and future soul stars Dionne Warwick and sister Dee Dee Warwick as well as Sylvia Shemwell and another future soul star Doris Troy and was an offshoot of the Drinkard Singers, began a professional career as session vocalists. Cissy Houston later replaced Dionne in 1961 with Troy later being replaced by Myrna Smith in 1962 while Dee Dee was eventually replaced by Estelle Brown in 1963.

From 1963 until 1967, the group, known informally as "The Group", would back up several important artists in the soul, pop and rock genres, most prominently Aretha Franklin, Solomon Burke, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Van Morrison, Dusty Springfield and Elvis Presley. In February 1967, they formally renamed themselves The Sweet Inspirations and signed with Atlantic Records, achieving minor and major success on the pop and R'n'B charts.

The Sweet Inspirations were inducted into the second class of the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2014.

1-1 Why (Am I Treated So Bad) (Single Version)

1-2 I Don't Want To Go On Without You

1-3 Let It Be Me

1-4 When Something Is Wrong With My Baby

1-5 That's How Strong My Love Is

1-6 I've Been Loving You Too Long

1-7 Oh! What A Fool I've Been

1-8 Don't Fight It

1-9 Do Right Woman, Do Right Man

1-10 Reach Out For Me

1-11 Sweet Inspiration

1-12 I'm Blue

1-13 To Love Somebody

1-14 Where Did It Go

1-15 Unchained Melody

1-16 Am I Ever Gonna See My Baby Again

1-17 What The World Needs Now Is Love

1-18 You Really Didn't Mean It

2-1 Crying In The Rain

2-2 Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday

2-3 Sweets For My Sweet

2-4 Get A Little Order

2-5 Don't Go

2-6 Chained

2-7 Gotta Find (A Brand New Lover) (Pts. 1 & 2)

2-8 At Least I've Found A Love

2-9 That's The Way My Baby Is

2-10 Them Boys

2-11 Flash In The Pan

2-12 This World

2-13 Light Sings

2-14 Evidence

2-15 Change Me Not

2-16 Ain't Nothing Gonna Change Me

2-17 I've Been Inspired To Love You

2-18 Little Green Apples / Think / Something

2-19 Make It Easy On Yourself

The Sweet Inspirations – The Atlantic Years