Mary Jane Girls

The Mary Jane Girls are an American girl group formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1981. Formed by Rick James, the original lineup comprised JoJo McDuffie, Cheri Wells, Candice Ghant, and Kimberly Wuletich. Known for their on-stage sexual image, the group debuted on Motown' imprint Gordy Records with the release of their Top 10 dance songs "Candy Man" and "All Night Long" from their debut album Mary Jane Girls (1983).

The group achieved their first gold album with Only Four You in 1985. The album's single, "In My House", became their highest-charting single, peaking in the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100. During the recording of their third album, the group was disbanded after a contractual dispute between Rick James and Gordy Records. The Mary Jane Girls briefly reformed as a trio with McDuffie, Ghant, and Wuletich in 1995, only to disband again in 1997.

In 2010, two spin-off groups featuring original members have surfaced. Original member Candice Ghant billed her spin-off group as the Mary Jane Girls, which include singers Val Young and Farah Melanson. Original members Cheri Wells and Kimberly Wuletich billed their group as MJG Starring Maxi and Cheri of the Original Mary Jane Girls. The Mary Jane Girls have been inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2019.

History

1981–1982: Formation and early years

In 1981, American singer and musician Rick James was looking for background vocalists for his Street Songs Tour. JoJo McDuffie, a local session singer who was working at a record store, was introduced to James by his bass guitarist Oscar Alston. Cheri Wells was the second member selected for the group. James later added Candice Ghant, a Motown session singer and former member of the disco group SofTouch. Kimberly Wuletich was the fourth member added to the group after being introduced to James by one of his brother. Although James insisted that the group's name was a reference to the candy mary jane rather than to marijuana, McDuffie later confirmed the group was named after the slang word for marijuana which was also a favored recreational drug of James. The male band members also sang the background vocals to support McDuffie as lead vocalist.

1985–1986: Lineup changes and Only Four You

After their tour came to its conclusion, Cheri Wells departed from the group, citing feeling limited by James' control over the group. In the US, Only Four You was released on February 14, 1985, to generally positive reviews. It peaked at number 18 on the Billboard 200, selling over 500,000 copies within five months and earning a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The lead single, "In My House", followed the album's release and peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. "Wild and Crazy Love", the second single from the album, peaked number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 on the US Hot Black Singles chart. The album's final two singles "Break It Up" and "Shadow Lover" failed to meet the success of its predecessors.

The group proceeded to tour as the opening act for Rick James' Glow Tour. In the summer of 1986, the group embarked on another tour alongside The Stone City Band, Val Young, and Process and the Doo Rags. By late 1986, the group had completed the recording their third album Conversations, which was planned to be released in the final quarter of 1986. Despite this, plans to release the album were derailed when Rick James engaged in a contractual dispute with Gordy Records over the status of his career and his various bands. The ending resulted in James leaving Gordy Records and taking the Mary Jane Girls along with him.

1987–present: Disbandment and aftermath

With lack of financial and marketing support, the Mary Jane Girls disbanded in 1987. Although in a 2012 interview, McDuffie attributed the group's disbandment to several factors including work ethic, the group's vocal ability, and egos. Candice Ghant continued working as a session singer and at music industry trade magazine Black Radio Exclusive. Yvette Marine also became a session singer, She eventually sued Virgin Records, claiming that she had shared lead vocals on the songs "Opposites Attract", "Knocked Out", and "I Need You", on Abdul's album Forever Your Girl. Her lawsuit was dismissed in 1993.

In 1995, the Mary Jane Girls reformed as trio with McDuffie, Ghant, and Wuletich. A remix of "All Night Long" by Michael Gray and Jon Pearn, was released as a single at peaked number 51 on the UK Singles chart. The group disbanded again in 1997. McDuffie continued performing and eventually recorded with Rick James on his album Urban Rapsody, released in October 1997.

In 2003, the Mary Jane Girls were featured in an episode of VH1's "Where Are They Now?" episode. Ghant, Wells, Wuletich, and Marine were interviewed together. McDuffie, who was touring as a background singer for Barry White in Europe, appeared in a separate interview. In 2009, McDuffie's husband Robert Funderburg applied for control of the trademark "Mary Jane Girls", but the application was abandoned in 2010. By June 2010, Wuletich and Wells reunited and began touring as the Mary Jane Girls. They later filed a trademark to perform as "MJG Starring Maxi and Cheri of the Original Mary Jane Girls". In the same year, Ghant had formed her own version of the Mary Jane Girls, along with singers Farah Melanson and Val Young. In 2013, the estate of Rick James sued Wuletich and Wells, preventing them from performing under the name Mary Jane Girls. The estate held that the group's name was owned by James and not the members. In 2014, the group's third album Sweet Conversations, which was shelved in 1986, was released as part of a larger retrospective of James's work by Motown Records.

As of 2024, Wells and Wuletich continue to perform as MJG Starring Maxi and Cheri of the Original Mary Jane Girls; which consist of Cheri Wells, Kimberly "Maxi" Wuletich, and two other female singers: Kanika Conwright and Makeda Francisco. Ghant performs with singers Val Young and Farah Melanson as the Mary Jane Girls.

Artistry

Musical style

Majority of their music was written and produced by Rick James. They were often compared to Vanity 6 and Apollonia 6, who were known for their seductive and arousing image. Lead singer McDuffie expressed on several occasions that the group had to prove several times that they could actually sing. The group was inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2019.

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Released: April 13, 1983
Label: Gordy
Formats: CD, cassette, LP

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US: 500,000

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