Candy and the Kisses

(clockwise from top left)  Jeanette Robinson, Suzanne Nelson, Beryl Nelson
In 1963 a group calling themselves Candy and the Kisses recorded a beautiful ballad entitled "A Good Cry," on the R&L label. The song missed out on a lot of airwaves, and that group disappeared from the music scene. However, one year later, three young ladies on the Cameo label would revive the name to great success.

Members:
(1964-1969)  
      Jeanette Johnson
      Beryl "Candy" Nelson - lead
      Suzanne Nelson

Candy and Suzanne Nelson were daughters of a minister in Port Richmond, New York and developed their singing in his church  They and their friend Jeanette Johnson decided to form a girl group like so many teen girls of that day. Producer Jerry Ross had been in Philadelphia with Kenny Gamble and while at a record hop they saw some kids doing a new dance they called The 81 to a Martha and the Vandellas' song, "In My Lonely Room." The duo immediately made a sound-a-like dance tune called the The 81 and had Candy and the girls recorded it for release. Soon the single, peaked just outside the Top 50 on the charts.

The Symphonettes, as they christened themselves, became Candy and the Kisses with their first release, "After I Cry" issued in 1963 on R&L Records. The ballad sold well, where played, but it didn't get played much or in many places. "The 81", Cameo Records, 1964 was their biggest record; Kenny Gamble and Jerry Ross wrote the shuffler about the popular Philly dance. The 81" stopped short of  Billboard's pop Top 40 and ended in the 50s. Cameo followed with Phil Spector's "Soldier Baby (of) Mine" in 1965, but politics killed the potential two-sided hit and the Cameo deal

The group followed up with a cover version of an unreleased Ronettes’ song called "Soldier Baby (Of Mine)." but the song didn’t  do much spark much interest until Brenda Hall used a much more uptempo version for the B-side of her "Oh Eddy My Baby" single.

They signed with Scepter Records in 1965 and were assigned to the writing team of Josephine (Joshie) Armstead, Valerie Simpson, and Nicholas Ashford. However, excellent material like "Keep on Searchin'," "Sweet and Lovely," "Out in the Streets Again," "I'll Settle for You," "Mr. Creator," and "Are You Trying to Get Rid of Me Baby," fail to chart. Even a remake of the Shirelles' 1960 hit "Tonight's the Night" and "You Did the Best You Could" misfired.

In 1968, the final Candy & the Kisses recording appeared on Decca Records; when "Chains of Love" b/w "Someone out There" didn't bust a grape, Candy retired. Suzanne, Jeanette, and new lead Beryl Martin tried again as Sweet Soul on Mercury Records in 1969. Their only single "Oh No, Oh No" b/w "If You Love Him" didn't win, place, or show, and they disbanded

After finishing her education Candy became a teacher and administrator for the Stamford, Connecticut school system. Calling herself Janyra Jason. Janette Johnson became an accomplished artist.

Suzanne Johnson passed away in 2008.