The Dixie Cups

The trio consisted of sisters Barbara Ann and Rosa Lee Hawkins, plus their cousin Joan Marie Johnson, from New Orleans.Betrock, Alan (1982). Girl Groups The Story of a Sound (1st ed.). New York: Delilah Books. pgs. 90–94. {{ISBN|0-933328-25-7}} They first sang together in grade school. Originally, they were to be called Little Miss and the Muffets, but were named the Dixie Cups just prior to their first release.{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p17053|first=Charlotte|last=Dillon|accessdate=28 September 2011}}

In 1963, the trio decided to pursue a professional career in music and began singing locally as the Meltones.Romanowski, Patricia (1995).The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll: Completely Revised and Updated (2nd edition). New York: Fireside Books. pp.271. {{ISBN|0-684-81044-1}} Within a year Joe Jones, a successful singer in his own right with the Top Five 1960 single "You Talk Too Much", became their manager.Whitburn, Joel (2008). Presents Across The Charts: The 1960s (first ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p.119. After working with them for five months, Jones took them to New York City, where record producers/songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller signed them to their new Red Bird Records label.Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits: The Inside Story Behind Every Number One Single on Billboard's Hot 100 from 1955 to the Present (5 ed.). Billboard Books. p. 149. {{ISBN|0-8230-7677-6}}.

The Dixie Cups debut single was the release, "Chapel of Love," which became their biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in June 1964. "Chapel of Love" sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.{{cite book

| first= Joseph

| last= Murrells

| year= 1978

| title= The Book of Golden Discs

| edition= 2nd

| publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd

| location= London

| pages= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/173 173–174]

| isbn= 0-214-20512-6

| url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/173

}} In 1987, the song "Chapel of Love" appeared on the Full Metal Jacket soundtrack and in the 1991 film Father of the Bride.{{cite web|author= Niraj Chokshi|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/08/arts/music/joan-marie-johnson-a-founder-of-the-dixie-cups-dies-at-72.html |title=Joan Marie Johnson, of the Singing Trio the Dixie Cups, Dies at 72 |website=The New York Times |date= October 8, 2016 |accessdate=8 October 2016}} The hit single by The Dixie Cups was ranked No. 279 on Rolling Stone{{'s}} list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The group also had several other hits, including "People Say" (No. 12, 1964), "You Should Have Seen the Way He Looked at Me" (No. 39, 1964), "Little Bell" (No. 51, 1965), and "Iko Iko" (No. 20, 1965).{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p17053/charts-awards/billboard-singles|label=The Dixie Cups // Billboard Singles|accessdate=28 September 2011}}

File:The Dixie Cups, Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich - Cash Box 1964.jpg and Ellie Greenwich on the cover of Cash Box, August 29, 1964]]

"Iko Iko", a New Orleans traditional song, was recorded in 1964; however, it was released as a single early in 1965. Barbara Hawkins had heard her grandmother sing the song, first recorded in 1953 as "Jock-a-Mo" by James "Sugar Boy" Crawford. Barbara Hawkins stated that "We were just clowning around with it during a session using drumsticks on ashtrays. We didn't realize that Jerry and Mike had the tapes running". Leiber and Stoller overdubbed a bassline and percussion, and released it. It was The Dixie Cups' fifth and final hit.{{cite web|url=http://performingsongwriter.com/mardi-gras-music/|title=The Story Behind Mardi Gras Mambo and Iko Iko|author=Hutchinson, Lydia|website=PerformingSongwriter.com|date=February 13, 2018|access-date=February 13, 2018}}

In 1965, the Dixie Cups moved to the ABC-Paramount record label before a recording hiatus in 1966 temporarily halted their careers. In 1974, the Hawkins sisters moved from New York to New Orleans, where they both began successful modelling careers. Barbara Ann and Rosa Lee also worked as makeup artists. Joan Johnson retired from the group, unable to manage the stress of traveling. The Dixie Cups continued to tour as a trio with another New Orleans singer, Beverly Brown, replacing Joan Johnson who became a Jehovah's Witness and left her music career. Brown, who had recorded two solo discs in the early 1960s, stayed as the third member until the early 1980s when she became ill and was replaced by Dale Mickle. The Dixie Cups continue to perform and make personal appearances. The current lineup consists of the Hawkins sisters (until Rosa Lee's death in 2022) along with Athelgra Neville, sister of the singing Neville Brothers.

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina swept through Louisiana, flooding much of New Orleans and displacing Barbara and Rosa Hawkins, who subsequently relocated to Florida. Joan Johnson relocated to Texas. Two years later, in April 2007, the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame honored The Dixie Cups as inductees for their contributions to Louisiana music.

Joan Marie Johnson died in New Orleans of congestive heart failure on October 3, 2016, at the age of 72.Blisten, John (2016) "[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/joan-marie-johnson-chapel-of-love-singer-dead-at-72-w444354 Joan Marie Johnson, 'Chapel of Love' Singer, Dead at 72]", Rolling Stone, October 11, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016 Rosa Lee Hawkins died from surgical complications on January 11, 2022, at the age of 76.{{cite news |last1=Spera |first1=Keith |title=Dixie Cups singer Rosa Hawkins, of 'Chapel of Love' and 'Iko Iko' fame, has died at 76 |url=https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/music/article_7c0d77e4-73bd-11ec-9db6-33c7b0dce3db.html |access-date=12 January 2022 |publisher=Nola |date=12 January 2022}}

• "Chapel of Love" b/w "Ain't That Nice" (1964) Red Bird Records / U.S. Chart (Billboard) No. 1Whitburn, Joel (2009). Top Pop Singles 1955–2008 (12th ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 282. UK No. 22{{cite book

| first= David

| last= Roberts

| year= 2006

| title= British Hit Singles & Albums

| title-link= British Hit Singles & Albums

| edition= 19th

| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited

| location= London

| isbn= 1-904994-10-5

| page= 158}} Canada RPM No. 1

• "People Say" b/w "Girls Can Tell" (1964) Red Bird Records/ U.S. Chart (Billboard) No. 12 R&B No. 7 Canada RPM No. 7
• "You Should Have Seen The Way He Looked at Me" b/w "No True Love" (1964) Red Bird Records/ U.S. Chart (Billboard) No. 39 Canada RPM No. 20
• "Little Bell" b/w "Another Boy Like Mine" (1964) Red Bird Records/ U.S. Chart (Billboard) No. 51 R&B No. 21
• "Iko Iko" b/w "I'm Gonna Get You Yet" (1965) Red Bird Records/ U.S. Chart (Billboard) No. 20 R&B No. 20 UK No. 23 Canada RPM No. 26
• "Iko Iko" b/w "Gee Baby Gee" (1965) Red Bird Records/ U.S. Chart (Billboard) No. 20
• "Gee The Moon Is Shining Bright" b/w "I'm Gonna Get You Yet" (1965) Red Bird Records/ U.S. Billboard No. 102
• "What Goes Up Must Come Down" b/w "I'm Not The Kind Of Girl (To Marry)" (1965) ABC-Paramount Records
• "A-B-C Song" b/w "That's What The Kids Said" (1965) ABC-Paramount Records
• "Love Ain't So Bad (After All)" b/w "Daddy Said No" (1966) ABC Records

• Chapel of Love (1964) Red Bird Records/ Billboard 200 No. 112Whitburn, Joel (1996). Top Pop Albums 1955–1996 (4 ed.). Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation. p. 222. {{ISBN|0-89820-117-9}}.
• Iko Iko (1965) Red Bird Records (re-packaged album that is the same as their debut with a different album cover under the title Iko Iko)
• Riding High (1965) ABC-Paramount Records
• Doing It Our Way (2011) Iri Records

• Teen Anguish Volume One (1979) Charly Records
• The Best of the Dixie Cups (1985) Back-Trac Records
• The Dixie Cups Meet The Shangri-Las (1986) Charly Records
• The Very Best of the Dixie Cups: Chapel Of Love (1998) Collectables Records
• The Complete Red Bird Recordings (2002) Varèse Sarabande Records

• Barbara Ann Hawkins (born October 23, 1943){{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p187700|accessdate=28 September 2011|label=Barbara Anne Hawkins}}
• Joan Marie Johnson (January 15, 1944 – October 2, 2016)
• Rosa Lee Hawkins (October 23, 1945 – January 11, 2022){{cite news |title=Rosa Lee Hawkins, Youngest Member of the Dixie Cups, Dies at 76 |first=Jack |last=Kramer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/14/arts/music/rosa-lee-hawkins-dead.html |access-date=16 January 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220117131839/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/14/arts/music/rosa-lee-hawkins-dead.html |archive-date=January 17, 2022 |url-status=live }}

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• [http://lpintop.tripod.com/thedixiecups The Dixie Cups] – Official website
• {{discogs artist|The Dixie Cups}}
• {{imdb name|1827481}}

{{Authority control}}

{{The Dixie Cups |state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dixie Cups, The}}

Category:1963 establishments in Louisiana

Category:20th-century African-American women singers

Category:20th-century American women singers

Category:20th-century American singers

Category:American pop music groups

Category:American soul musical groups

Category:African-American girl groups

Category:Family musical groups

Category:African-American families

Category:Musical groups from New Orleans

Category:Singers from Louisiana

Category:Musical groups established in 1963

Category:American R&B girl groups