The Mint Juleps | |
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Origin | London, England |
Genres | A cappella |
Years active | 1986 | –present
Labels | Stiff Records |
Members |
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The Mint Juleps, who first gained notice in 1986, [1] is a six-piece all-female a cappella group from the east end of London. The group consists of four sisters: Sandra, Debbie, Lizzie and Marcia Charles, who were joined by two school friends, Julie Isaac and Debbie Longworth. [2] Before they were signed by Stiff Records, they had gained experience touring with Sister Sledge [1] and Billy Bragg, Kool & The Gang, Lenny Henry, Shalamar, Fine Young Cannibals and they had sung back-up for Bob Geldof, the Belle Stars, Alison Moyet, Al Green, Peter Gabriel and Dr. Feelgood. [3] Their debut album, One Time, were issued on Stiff Records in 1985. [4] [5] In December 1988, the group appeared as a cappella singing Angels in the BBC Christmas special, Billy's Christmas Angels. [6] In 1990 they appeared in Spike Lee's television documentary, Do It Acapella . [7] In 1994, Round Our Way saw a release in both the UK and US. [8] [9]
The group also provided lead and backing vocals on Mickey Hart's Mystery Box , which was released in 1996. [10] [11]
Mickey Hart is an American percussionist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 until February 1971, and again from October 1974 until their final show in July 1995. He and fellow Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann earned the nickname "the rhythm devils".
George Michael Dolenz Jr. is an American actor, musician, TV producer and businessman. He was the drummer and one of two primary vocalists for the pop-rock band the Monkees, and a co-star of the TV series The Monkees (1966–1968).
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Mickey Hart's Mystery Box is an album by former Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart. It was released on CD and cassette by Rykodisc Records on June 11, 1996. The album combines Hart's percussion-based world music with the vocal harmonies of the British singing sextet the Mint Juleps. Robert Hunter wrote the lyrics for all the songs.
Spike Lee & Company: Do It a Cappella is a 1990 PBS documentary, directed by Spike Lee, around the topic of A cappella music. Artists that performed as part of the documentary include The Mint Juleps, Take 6, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Rockapella and The Persuasions. It also stars Spike Lee, Debbie Allen and a cameo appearance by Samuel L. Jackson.
All the more diverse are the contributions of the Mint Juleps.... Collectively, their paradisaical harmonies support Hart's occasional leads...
The Mint Juleps handle the Hunter-penned lyrics so skillfully that the ensemble essentially becomes a rhythm track of its own.