Pearlettes aka Pearlett

(left to right) Mary Meade, Priscilla Kennedy, Sheila Kennedy (bottom) and Lynda Galloway
photo courtesy Priscilla Kennedy
The Pearlettes were protegees of a young Sonny Bono when he was first trying to make it with small Los Angeles record labels

Members:
Sheila Galloway (Lead)
Lynda Galloway
Priscilla Kennedy
Mary Meade

The Pearlettes were four church girls from Los Angeles. The group formed in the in the late '50s while they were still attending John Muir Junior High in Los Angeles. By 1961 the group consisted of  sisters Lynda and Shelia Galloway, Mary Meade, and Priscilla Kennedy. The Pearlettes first began singing together at record hops and benefits. In 1958 as the Fantasians they backed Big Dave Taylor on "Farther Up the Road." Shortly thereafter the group was renamed the Pearlettes.

"We wanted a gimmick to identify ourselves, so we would wear pearls."
Priscilla Kennedy

They were discovered by VJ chief Randall Woods, who co-produced the record with Sonny Bono. Bono would both produce and write songs for them. In 1961 the Pearlettes released "Never Be Another Boy Like You" on Bono's Go Records. Next they released a gospel-like song for Vault Records. Their third and final single on the Vee-Jay label, was "The Duchess of Earl" was the answer to Gene Chandler's "Duke of Earl" and was their most successful reaching #92.

Sheila Galloway left the group shortly there after. Priscilla Kennedy went on to sing with The Watesians along with Brenda and Patrice Holloway (Donna, 1962) , The Four J's along with Brenda and Patrice Holloway (4-J, 1962), The Delicates - (Challenge and Soultown, 1964/66) and The Irresistables (Imperial, 1966). Priscilla also sang under the name of Eleanor Rigby.