The Dixie Cups (formerly known as The Meltones) are an American pop music girl group established in the 1960s. They are best known for a string of hits including their singles "Chapel of Love", "People Say", and "Iko Iko".
Career
The trio consisted of sisters Barbara Ann and Rosa Lee Hawkins, plus their cousin Joan Marie Johnson, from New Orleans. 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.
In 1963, the trio decided to pursue a professional career in music and began singing locally as the Meltones. 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. 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.
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. In 1987, the song "Chapel of Love" appeared on the Full Metal Jacket soundtrack and in the 1991 film Father of the Bride. The hit single by The Dixie Cups was ranked No. 279 on Rolling Stone list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
thumb|upright|The Dixie Cups with [[Jeff Barry 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.
In 1965, the Dixie Cups moved to the ABC-Paramount record label before a recording hiatus in 1966 temporarily halted their careers. Rosa Lee Hawkins died from surgical complications on January 11, 2022, at the age of 76.
Discography
Singles
- "Chapel of Love" b/w "Ain't That Nice" (1964) Red Bird Records / U.S. Chart (Billboard) No. 1 UK No. 22 Canada RPM No. 1
- "People Say" b/w "Girls Can Tell" (1964) Red Bird Records/ U.S. Chart (Billboard) No. 12
- 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)
- Joan Marie Johnson (January 15, 1944 – October 2, 2016)