Rosetta Hightower
Encyclopedia
Rosetta Hightower is an American
singer,and the former lead singer of the 1960s girl group
The Orlons
.
Rosetta's primary mark was the lead singer of The Orlons, the prime US girl group who scored several top 10 US hits between 1962–1964, including "The Wah Watusi", "Don't Hang Up
", "South Street", and "Not Me".
In early 1962, The Orlons provided back-up vocals on Dee Dee Sharp's "Mashed Potato Time" (#2 pop, #1 R&B). That spring, they recorded "The Wah Watusi" which, in July 1962, made it in the Billboard charts to the #2 spot. At the same time they again provided back-up vocals on Dee Dee Sharp's second hit "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" which went to #9. The follow-up to "The Wah Watusi", "Don't Hang Up" reached #4 pop and #3 R&B in the fall and winter of 1962. The Orlons' first major performance was at New York's Apollo Theatre with The Crystals, Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, Chuck Jackson, Tommy Hunt, and Gene Chandler. In 1963, they had hits with "South Street" (#3 pop, #4 R&B) and "Crossfire" (#19 pop, #25 R&B).
She left the group in the late 1960s to pursue a solo career in the United Kingdom
. Rosetta joined the ranks of the then-popular female session singers who backed many hit songs. This group included Madeline Bell
, Lesley Duncan
, Kay Garner, Kiki Dee
, Liza Strike, and Sue and Sunny
. In 1971, Rosetta was one of the backing vocalists for John Lennon
's Power to the People
. She also recorded with Joe Cocker
on his With a Little Help From My Friends
album two years before.
Moving permanently to England in 1970, Rosetta married musician producer Ian Green. Before leaving for England, Rosetta represented the US in Belgium
for the first international singing contest ever held. She released numerous singles and at least 2 LPs. Her grandparents were Curtis Robert "Cutt" Hightower and Louise Moss Hightower of Augusta, Georgia. Her father was Charles Zendell Hightower, the brother of the late James T. Hightower.
She currently lives in South London. Her son is Ian Green, Jr. who works as Paul Oakenfold
's main co-producer and remixer.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer,and the former lead singer of the 1960s girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
The Orlons
The Orlons
The Orlons are an American R&B group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that formed in 1960. They received gold discs for the million selling achievements of three of their singles...
.
Rosetta's primary mark was the lead singer of The Orlons, the prime US girl group who scored several top 10 US hits between 1962–1964, including "The Wah Watusi", "Don't Hang Up
Don't Hang Up (song)
"Don't Hang Up" is a 1962 hit single produced by Cameo-Parkway Records and performed by the American R&B music group The Orlons. The song is also credited under the Ariola Records label. The song was a number-four hit on the Billboard Pop chart and reached number three on its R&B chart...
", "South Street", and "Not Me".
In early 1962, The Orlons provided back-up vocals on Dee Dee Sharp's "Mashed Potato Time" (#2 pop, #1 R&B). That spring, they recorded "The Wah Watusi" which, in July 1962, made it in the Billboard charts to the #2 spot. At the same time they again provided back-up vocals on Dee Dee Sharp's second hit "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" which went to #9. The follow-up to "The Wah Watusi", "Don't Hang Up" reached #4 pop and #3 R&B in the fall and winter of 1962. The Orlons' first major performance was at New York's Apollo Theatre with The Crystals, Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, Chuck Jackson, Tommy Hunt, and Gene Chandler. In 1963, they had hits with "South Street" (#3 pop, #4 R&B) and "Crossfire" (#19 pop, #25 R&B).
She left the group in the late 1960s to pursue a solo career in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Rosetta joined the ranks of the then-popular female session singers who backed many hit songs. This group included Madeline Bell
Madeline Bell
Madeline Bell is an American soul singer, who became famous as a performer in the United Kingdom during the 1960s, having arrived from the US in the gospel show Black Nativity in 1962, with vocal group The Bradford Singers.-Career:She worked as a session singer, most notably backing for Dusty...
, Lesley Duncan
Lesley Duncan
Lesley Duncan was an English singer-songwriter, best known for her work during the 1970s. She received a lot of airplay on British radio stations such as BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2, but never achieved great commercial success.Duncan was born in Stockton-on-Tees...
, Kay Garner, Kiki Dee
Kiki Dee
Kiki Dee is an English singer with a career spanning more than 40 years....
, Liza Strike, and Sue and Sunny
Sue and Sunny
Sue and Sunny were a vocal duo and session singers operating in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Although sisters, their full stage names were Sue Glover and Sunny Leslie...
. In 1971, Rosetta was one of the backing vocalists for John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
's Power to the People
Power to the People (song)
"Power to the People" is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1971 by John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band on Apple Records, catalogue Apple R5892 in the United Kingdom and Apple 1830 in the United States. It peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the British singles chart...
. She also recorded with Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
on his With a Little Help From My Friends
With a Little Help from My Friends
-Joe Cocker version:Joe Cocker's version was a radical re-arrangement of the original, in a slower, 6/8 meter, using different chords in the middle eight, and a lengthy instrumental introduction...
album two years before.
Moving permanently to England in 1970, Rosetta married musician producer Ian Green. Before leaving for England, Rosetta represented the US in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
for the first international singing contest ever held. She released numerous singles and at least 2 LPs. Her grandparents were Curtis Robert "Cutt" Hightower and Louise Moss Hightower of Augusta, Georgia. Her father was Charles Zendell Hightower, the brother of the late James T. Hightower.
She currently lives in South London. Her son is Ian Green, Jr. who works as Paul Oakenfold
Paul Oakenfold
Paul Mark Oakenfold is a British record producer and a trance DJ.-Early Career: 1979–84:Paul Oakenfold's career was set to be a chef, after having hopes of becoming part of a band. He describes his early life as a "bedroom deejay" in a podcasted interview with Vancouver's 24 Hours, stating he grew...
's main co-producer and remixer.