Chanter Sisters
Encyclopedia
The Chanter Sisters, Irene and Doreen Chanter
, are a duo
of backup singers
. They began recording
with a family group called the Chanters which also included several of their brothers
.
The sisters then went their own way, recording first under the name Birds of a Feather, and then as The Chanter Sisters, and it is under the latter that they enjoyed their only UK Singles Chart
hit
when "Sideshow" (not to be confused with the much bigger hit for Barry Biggs
with the same title later the same year) entered the chart
in July 1976 reaching number 43.
The sisters have been far more successful in their backup singing career. Their credits include work with Elton John
, Long John Baldry
, Phil Manzanera
, Roxy Music
, John Miles
, The Secret Policeman's Ball, Van Morrison
, Roger Waters
, Meat Loaf
, Joe Cocker
and many other famous names. The pair also had uncredited bit part
s as schoolgirl
s in the 1971 schlock horror film
, Twins of Evil
.
Although the sisters have predominantly worked together, Doreen has had the more extensive musical career, touring without her sister with several of the above named bands. However, the pair continue to work together in the recording studio
, providing backup vocals for Chris Farlowe
as recently as 2003.
Doreen also found success as a song-writer, being responsible for "Star", a UK hit in 1982 for Kiki Dee
.
First flight
Cuckoo-cuckoo/Darlin’/Side show/Hound dog/Band of gold/(You’re love has lifted me) Higher and higher/Halfway to paradise/Turn Rolling Stone/ Blue Jean days/All the young dudes/Loving you is
(UK – 1976) Polydor PD 1 6075
7”
Sideshow
Sideshow/Goodbye Charlie
(UK – 1975) Polydor 2058 735 (company sleeve)
Sideshow/Turn rolling stone
(ITA – 1976) Polydor 2058 740 (picture sleeve)
7” Band of Gold
Band of Gold/Blue Jean days
(UK – 1976) Polydor 2058 699 (company sleeve)
7” Cuckoo Cuckoo
Cuckoo Cuckoo/Sweet Water Memory
(GER – 1976) Polydor 2058 608 (art sleeve)
7” Blue Jean Days
Blue Jean Days/Cuckoo Cuckoo
(USA or UK-1976) Polydor
7” Halfway to Paradise
Halfway to paradise/My love
(UK – 1976) Polydor 2058 679 (art sleeve)
7” Just your fool
Just your fool/History
(UK - 1976) Polydor 2058 795
(AUS -1976) Safari 612073 (picture sleeve)
7” Just your fool
Just your fool/Talking too much about my baby
(GER - 1977) Safari 612073 (company sleeve)
7” Just your fool
Just your fool/Nashville
(ITA - 1976) Polydor 2058 816 (picture sleeve)
LP Ready for love
You’ve lost that lovin’ feelin’/Never thought falling in love (could be so wild)/Dance dance dance/
Talking too much about my baby/When the lights go out/Na na hey hey (Kiss him goodbye)/
It’s too late now/Sunshiny Day/Nashville
(UK – 1977) Safari LONG 3
7” Dance Dance Dance
Dance dance dance
(UK - 1977) Safari PS719036
(GER – 1977) Safari 6.12169 AC (picture sleeve)
12” Na Na Hey Hey
Na na Hey hey/Danny Disco/When the lights go out
(UK – 1977) Safari DOZ1
7” Na Na Hey Hey
Nan na Hey hey/It’s too late now
(AUS – 1977) Safari K8959 (company sleeve)
LP Shoulder to shoulder
Shoulder to shoulder/Oh what a shame/I wanna get closer/I love you/Born to lose/Can’t stop dancing/Cari blue/I’ll be there/I’ve got your number/Thanks to you
(UK – 1978) Safari LONG 4
7” Can’t stop dancing
Can’t stop dancing
(GER – 1979)
12” Can’t stop dancing (Blue vinyl)
Can’t stop dancing/Back on the Road
(GER – 1979) Safari 052 CRY 61816 YZ
Doreen Chanter
Doreen Chanter is a British singer best known for her career as a member of the Chanter Sisters and for her work as a backing vocalist and session vocalist during the 1970s and 1980s.-Chanter Sisters:...
, are a duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
of backup singers
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
. They began recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
with a family group called the Chanters which also included several of their brothers
Sibling
Siblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...
.
The sisters then went their own way, recording first under the name Birds of a Feather, and then as The Chanter Sisters, and it is under the latter that they enjoyed their only UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
when "Sideshow" (not to be confused with the much bigger hit for Barry Biggs
Barry Biggs
Barry Biggs is a reggae singer, best known in the UK for his cover of the Blue Magic song, "Sideshow", which got to #3 in the UK Singles Chart in 1976.-Career:...
with the same title later the same year) entered the chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in July 1976 reaching number 43.
The sisters have been far more successful in their backup singing career. Their credits include work with Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Long John Baldry
Long John Baldry
John William "Long John" Baldry was an English and Canadian blues singer and a voice actor. He sang with many British musicians, with Rod Stewart and Elton John appearing in bands led by Baldry in the 1960s. He enjoyed pop success in the UK where Let the Heartaches Begin reached No...
, Phil Manzanera
Phil Manzanera
Phil Manzanera is a musician and record producer. He is the lead guitarist with Roxy Music. In 2006 Manzanera co-produced David Gilmour's album On An Island and played in Gilmour's band for tours in Europe and North America...
, Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
, John Miles
John Miles (musician)
John Miles is an English rock music vocalist, songwriter, guitarist and keyboard player, best known for his 1976 Top 3 UK hit single, "Music".-Career:...
, The Secret Policeman's Ball, Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
, Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
, Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
, 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...
and many other famous names. The pair also had uncredited bit part
Bit part
A bit part is a supporting acting role with at least one line of dialogue . In British television, bit parts are referred to as under sixes...
s as schoolgirl
Schoolgirl
A schoolgirl is a girl attending either primary or secondary school, generally aged between four and eighteen years old.-Academic performance:This has led in some countries to calls for greater equality for education in the school system...
s in the 1971 schlock horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
, Twins of Evil
Twins of Evil
Twins of Evil is a 1971 horror film by Hammer Film Productions starring Peter Cushing, with Damien Thomas and the real-life twins and former Playboy Playmates Mary and Madeleine Collinson....
.
Although the sisters have predominantly worked together, Doreen has had the more extensive musical career, touring without her sister with several of the above named bands. However, the pair continue to work together in the recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
, providing backup vocals for Chris Farlowe
Chris Farlowe
Chris Farlowe is an English rock, blues and soul singer. He is best known for his hit single "Out of Time", which rose to #1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1966, and his association with Colosseum and the Thunderbirds.Outside his music career, Farlowe collects war memorabilia.-Career:Inspired by Lonnie...
as recently as 2003.
Doreen also found success as a song-writer, being responsible for "Star", a UK hit in 1982 for Kiki Dee
Kiki Dee
Kiki Dee is an English singer with a career spanning more than 40 years....
.
Recordings
LPFirst flight
Cuckoo-cuckoo/Darlin’/Side show/Hound dog/Band of gold/(You’re love has lifted me) Higher and higher/Halfway to paradise/Turn Rolling Stone/ Blue Jean days/All the young dudes/Loving you is
(UK – 1976) Polydor PD 1 6075
7”
Sideshow
Sideshow/Goodbye Charlie
(UK – 1975) Polydor 2058 735 (company sleeve)
Sideshow/Turn rolling stone
(ITA – 1976) Polydor 2058 740 (picture sleeve)
7” Band of Gold
Band of Gold/Blue Jean days
(UK – 1976) Polydor 2058 699 (company sleeve)
7” Cuckoo Cuckoo
Cuckoo Cuckoo/Sweet Water Memory
(GER – 1976) Polydor 2058 608 (art sleeve)
7” Blue Jean Days
Blue Jean Days/Cuckoo Cuckoo
(USA or UK-1976) Polydor
7” Halfway to Paradise
Halfway to paradise/My love
(UK – 1976) Polydor 2058 679 (art sleeve)
7” Just your fool
Just your fool/History
(UK - 1976) Polydor 2058 795
(AUS -1976) Safari 612073 (picture sleeve)
7” Just your fool
Just your fool/Talking too much about my baby
(GER - 1977) Safari 612073 (company sleeve)
7” Just your fool
Just your fool/Nashville
(ITA - 1976) Polydor 2058 816 (picture sleeve)
LP Ready for love
You’ve lost that lovin’ feelin’/Never thought falling in love (could be so wild)/Dance dance dance/
Talking too much about my baby/When the lights go out/Na na hey hey (Kiss him goodbye)/
It’s too late now/Sunshiny Day/Nashville
(UK – 1977) Safari LONG 3
7” Dance Dance Dance
Dance dance dance
(UK - 1977) Safari PS719036
(GER – 1977) Safari 6.12169 AC (picture sleeve)
12” Na Na Hey Hey
Na na Hey hey/Danny Disco/When the lights go out
(UK – 1977) Safari DOZ1
7” Na Na Hey Hey
Nan na Hey hey/It’s too late now
(AUS – 1977) Safari K8959 (company sleeve)
LP Shoulder to shoulder
Shoulder to shoulder/Oh what a shame/I wanna get closer/I love you/Born to lose/Can’t stop dancing/Cari blue/I’ll be there/I’ve got your number/Thanks to you
(UK – 1978) Safari LONG 4
7” Can’t stop dancing
Can’t stop dancing
(GER – 1979)
12” Can’t stop dancing (Blue vinyl)
Can’t stop dancing/Back on the Road
(GER – 1979) Safari 052 CRY 61816 YZ