11 Wednesday’s Woman BEACON, March 30 - April 5, 2017 newyorkbeacon.net Original Chantel singer – Renée Minus White -- pens memoir By Audrey J. Bernard seven children. Women’s Editor White attended St. Anthony of Padua’s Grammar School enée Minus White has where she eventually met four penned her memoir -- young girls -- Arlene Smith, Maybe: My Memoir Jackie Landry, Millicent Gor- R(One Chantel’s Story) -- her de- ing and Lois Harris. They but book released by RoseDog became good friends and went Books. Maybe: My Memoir on to form one of the greatest (One Chantel’s Story) is a story girl groups of all times . . . The about the eventful life of one of Chantels. Long before there the original members of The were other girl power groups Chantels, the famed female -- The Supremes, Sister Sledge, rhythm and blues group; and a The Ronetts, SWV, Destiny’s Maybe: My Memoir look at her life in and out of the Child, En Vogue, Xscape – (One Chantel’s Story) Today’s Chantels (L-R): Ami Ortiz, Sonia Goring Wilson, Lois Harris Pow- music industry. there was The Chantels with book cover ell, Renée Minus White The Chantels rocked the five-girl harmony. They set world and the music industry the mold for others to follow. during the late 1950s with Their memorable tours through hits including “Maybe,” “He’s America’s South in the midst Gone,” “The Plea,” “I Love of the Civil Rights Movement You So,” and “Look In My were often scary and interest- Eyes” and many other chart ing. toppers. This book gives read- The Chantels are still sing- ers a glimpse of the author’s ing and sound better than ever childhood and what it was like as they tour the country, enter- growing up in the Bronx during taining audiences and receiving the 1950s. She was introduced standing ovations. You can visit to music at a very young age their website at www.thechan- (L-R) Naomi White Randolph (daughter as both parents were smitten tels.com of Renée), Hillary Clinton & Renée Minus with music. Her father, Le- Maybe: My Memoir (One White during an interview at the New York roy Minus, was a jazz pianist Chantel’s Story) is an 80-page Original Chantels (circa 1973) Amsterdam News (Photo by Bill Moore) who fell in love and married paperback with a retail price Thelma Minus, a jazz singer. of $21.00. The ISBN is 978- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Visit more information, or to request dorrancepressroom.com or Both parents retired their show 1-4809-9770-7. It was pub- the author’s website at www. a review copy, please go to our online bookstore at www. business careers to raise their lished by RoseDog Books of reneeminuswhite.com. For our virtual pressroom at www. rosedogbookstore.com.

About Renée Minus White was the heart of the group and Center, The Metropolitan Mu- About The Chantels was the glue that held The seum of Art, all in New York; he Chantels are singing ray the K” Kaufman. They Chantels together. She is sorely Three Rivers Stadium, White on the Pop and Rhythm also appeared on Dick Clark’s missed. Oak American Legion and the & Blues circuit capturing American Bandstand. In 1959 Today, The Chantels, Sonia Benedum Center in Pittsburgh, Taudiences across the nation after George Goldner’s record Goring Wilson, Lois Harris PA and numerous other venues with their unique sound. Hear company folded, original lead Powell, Renee Minus White on the East and West Coast. them on their new CD Eternal- singer Arlene Smith struck and Ami Ortiz who joined the The Chantels had the priv- ly. The Chantels began their out on her own. The Chantels group in 1996, are among the ilege of appearing in concert journey to stardom in 1956 by didn’t miss a beat and in 1962, most popular and requested at the World Trade Center in a chance meeting with Richard released what was to become singing groups, performing July 2001; and also appear- Barrett; lead singer of the Val- the group’s highest charted their numerous great hits. They ing in front of an audience entines, on New York’s famed record, “Look in My Eyes” on are among the nominees for the of 125,000 Girl Scouts of Broadway. The five girls, the Carlton label and Annette Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s America at the Washington Renée Minus White Arlene Smith, Renee Minus, Smith on lead, under the direc- 2010 induction. The group’s Monument in 2002 and again Jacqulyn Landry, Sonia Goring tion of Richard Barrett. This live performance in 1999 for in 2007 in celebration of their Renée Minus White, founder of and Lois Harris had attended was followed by the up-tempo the PBS TV special, “Doo Wop 90th and 95th anniversaries. RMW Enterprises, has penned St. Anthony of Padua Elemen- “Well I told you” which was a ’50,” which featured the best These extremely talented la- fashion for Montgomery Ward’s, tary School in the Bronx, New top 20 hit, with Barrett on lead, vocal group stars of the 1950’s dies are also featured in the Essence Magazine and Leavit York, and were members of St. and was the answer to Ray and 60’s received rave reviews celebrated “Doo Wop is Alive” Advertising Agency. She is the Anthony’s church choir. Their Charles’ “Hit the Road Jack.” nationwide. The Chantels have photo unveiled on February proud product of Fashion Insti- unique sound was rooted in the In December 1997, Original in recent years appeared at the 3, 2000 at the Smithsonian tute of Technology in New York liturgical music of that church, group member Jackie Landry world famous Apollo Theater, Institute in Washington DC City. Today, Ms. White enjoys and the sounds of the boy Jackson succumbed to breast Radio City Music Hall, The as a salute to the pioneers of the privileges of an internation- groups that sang on the street cancer. Although this was a Beacon Theater, The Tarry- the Rhythm & Blues and Doo al respected journalist as the corners of the Bronx. Bar- major loss The Chantels de- town Music Hall, Symphony Wop. They were greeted as Fashion and Beauty Editor for rett recorded the Chantels on cided not to replace her. Jackie Space and the Norfolk Music the “sweethearts of the era!” the New York Amsterdam News. George Goldner’s End Record She is also the founder of a Time label. “He’s Gone” backed to Style, Inc., a production and by the “Plea” were released in communications company that 1957. The next release “May- produces fashion editorials, fash- be” became a major national ion shows, and presentations. hit and made the Chantels stars She is also a licensed realtor overnight. The Chantels are in New York State. Presently, also credited with recording she is an Associate Broker with the first Extended Play 45 rpm Douglas Elliman, specializing in record. The Chantels were nominated for Westchester, Riverdale and Har- The Chantels then began induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of lem, New York, markets. White a series of nationwide tours The Chantels CD The Chantels at the Tarrytown Fame in 1999 and again in 2010 (circa was fortunate to have met and with Alan Freed and “Mur- “Eternally” (circa 1999) Music Hall (circa 2006) 2010) married her late husband, Javier A. White, Esq. in 1975. They were blessed with a daughter, Excerpt from the book: Apollo Theater was the place where all of around the Apollo Theater in the early ‘30s, Naomi White Randolph, and the famous acts appeared. It was and is ‘40s, and ‘50s. Every entertainer longed to son, Javier R. B. White. Both “My mom, Thelma, always talked about a Harlem landmark and pillar for Black play there and I was no different. For us, are married. White enjoys her the night she won the Amateur Night Con- citizens around the world. Percy Sutton de- it was all about being in the right place at wonderful grandchildren: grand- test at the Apollo and I always felt her regret serves every accolade for sustaining it from the right time. It was my dream to perform daughters Soraya and Makena for not pursuing her singing career, even the ‘90s to the present. However, it was in front of an Apollo audience and when and grandson Javier. though she enjoyed being our mother. The the Schiffman family that created the aura I finally did, I felt like I belonged there.”