Sheer Elegance
{{Short description|British pop/soul trio}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
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| origin = United Kingdom
| genre = Soul
| years_active = {{Start date|1975}}–{{End date|1978}}
| label = Pye
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| current_members =
| past_members = Dennis Robinson
Bev Gordon
Herbie Watkins
}}
Sheer Elegance was a British pop/soul trio, comprising Dennis Robinson, Bev Gordon (ex-Earthquake, aka Little Henry) and Herbie Watkins, who appeared on the British television talent show New Faces in 1975.
Background
The group had the distinction of writing their own material. During the course of their career, they appeared on New Faces, supported The Supremes when the group came to the UK and in aid of the Migraine Trust, they performed for Princess Margaret at the London Palladium.New Faces TV - [https://newfacesatv.info/2020/02/29/12-july-1975-series-three-42/ 12 Jul 1975 – Series Three (42)]
They recorded for the Pye label.Billboard, April 30., 1977 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1977/Billboard%201977-04-30.pdf Page 95 _International_, Pye Hits U.K. Mart With Big Batch Of 12 -inch 45s By TERRI ANDERSON]
Career
Their first single, "Going Downtown", was a flop, but their second single, "Milky Way", reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart early in 1976.{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/Milky%20Way|title=The Official Charts Company - Sheer Elegance - Milky Way|accessdate=5 June 2011|df=}}
The group had a follow-up single released in 1976. It was "Life Is Too Short Girl". It was more successful than the previous, reaching number 9 and spending nine weeks in the chart.MusicVF.com - [https://www.musicvf.com/Sheer+Elegance.art Sheer Elegance Top Songs Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography]{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/Life%20Is%20Too%20Short%20Girl|title=The Official Charts Company - Sheer Elegance - Life Is Too Short Girl|accessdate=5 June 2011}}
Their final national hit was "It's Temptation" which reached number 41 in 1976.MusicVF.com - [https://www.musicvf.com/Sheer+Elegance.art Sheer Elegance Top Songs Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography]
The group released "Dance the Night Away" in 1977. It was written by Irving Martin, J. Vincent Edwards and Bev Gordon. Backed with "Don't Wanna Miss My Bus", it was released on Pye 7N 25734 in early 1977.Hitparade.ch - [https://hitparade.ch/song/Sheer-Elegance/Dance-The-Night-Away-618519 Sheer Elegance – Dance The Night Away]Music Week, January 8, 1977 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1977/Music-Week-1977-01-08.pdf Page 32 MUSIC WEEK LISTINGS, D] It did get airplay with spins on Piccadilly Radio. It was also one of the five top add-ons on Radio City for the week of January 8.Music Week, January 8, 1977 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1977/Music-Week-1977-01-08.pdf Page 22 NEEDLETIME] On the week of February 5, along with "Saturday Nite" by Earth, Wind & Fire, "Soul Cha Cha" by Van McCoy, "Baby I Know" by The Rubettes and a few others etc., Music Week recorded it as a Star Breaker.Music Week, February 5, 1977 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1977/Music-Week-1977-02-05.pdf Page 53 STAR BREAKERS] Two weeks later Record Mirror also recorded it as a Star Breaker.Record Mirror, February 19, 1977 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/70s/77/Record-Mirror-1977-02-19.pdf Page 2 Star Breakers] In spite of this, it failed to chart nationally.Official Charts - [https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/15563/sheer-elegance/ SHEER ELEGANCE, SHEER ELEGANCE Songs, Official Singles Chart]MusicVF.com - [https://www.musicvf.com/Sheer+Elegance.art Sheer Elegance Top Songs Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography]
Their only album was titled Sheer Elegance.New Faces TV - [https://newfacesatv.info/2020/02/29/12-july-1975-series-three-42/ 12 Jul 1975 – Series Three (42)]
Discography
=Albums=
- Sheer Elegance (ABC Records, 1976)
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Song ! style="width:45px;"|UK |
|---|
| rowspan="2"| 1975
| "Going Downtown" | align=center | — |
| "Milky Way"
| align=center | 18 |
| rowspan="3"| 1976
| "Life Is Too Short Girl" | align=center | 9 |
| "It's Temptation"
| align=center | 41 |
| "I'll Find You Where You Are"
| align=center | — |
| rowspan="1"| 1977
| "Dance the Night Away" | align=center | — |
| rowspan="1"| 1978
| "It's How You Use Me Girl" | align=center | — |
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |