Vocal ensemble, led by Lea Jane Berinati, that backed some of the biggest names in country music in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
In 1970, they accompanied Mac Curtis on his country crossover album, Early in the Morning. They did a lot of recording with Dolly Parton, including “Love is Like a Butterfly”, which took flight in 1974. In 1975, they reunited with Dolly on “The Bargain Store”, made the cut on Best of Dolly Parton and Best of Dolly Parton Vol. 2, and worked on the Dolly Parton/Porter Wagoner collaboration, Say Forever You’ll Be Mine. Best of Dolly Parton rocketed to #5 on the Billboard Country chart. They were also in the studio with Dolly for All I Can Do in February 1976.
In 1977, they teamed up with Sally Bishop on “My Man”, backed with “Pig Latin Song”, and Ronnie Milsap for It Was Almost Like a Song, which included the hit, “What a Difference You’ve Made in My Life”. On 12th June 1978, Best of Dolly Parton was certified gold. They rounded out the decade with a flurry of albums: Half Singin’ and Half Pickin’ by Jerry Reed; Images by Ronnie Milsap; Million Mile Reflections by Charlie Daniels Band; and, You Don’t Bring Me Flowers by Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius.
In 1980, they provided vocal support for Jerry Lee Lewis on Killer Country. They did the same in 1981 for Tom Jones on Darlin’ and Ricky Skaggs on Highways & Heartaches, which was released to great acclaim in 1982. In April 1983, they appeared In Concert! with Tom T. Hall. This appears to be one of their last dates, although there are numerous opportunities to hear them on CDs such as The Essential Ronnie Milsap, The Very Best of Dolly Parton, and Rockin’ My Life Away: The Jerry Lee Lewis Collection.
Members:
Lea Jane Berinati
Janie Fricke
Richard Law
Judy “The Gidget” Marshal
Judy Rodman
Karen Taylor-Good
Sharon Vaughn
Duane West
Chuck Woolery
Sources:
- http://www.helium.com/users/313040
- http://www.myspace.com/mightyisismusic
- http://www.pcuf.fi/~tapiov/discographies/maccurtis.htm
- http://www.rockabillyhall.com/raveonreviews.html
- http://libweb.uoregon.edu/music/Discographies/countrydiscomz.html
- http://eil.com/fulltext/search.asp?searchtext=Best+Of+Dolly+Parton+Vol.+2&type=2&style=2&zone=title&sort=-C-F&artlist=0&artcode=&prodtype=1
- http://www.amazon.co.uk/All-I-Can-Do/dp/B001GT5XU6
- http://cgi.ebay.com/Sally-Bishop-45-My-Man%2FPig-Latin-Song-Single-Woodsmoke_W0QQitemZ250382768160QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090303?IMSfp=TL090303134003r21119
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3jfwxqw5ldje
- http://www.dollyon-line.com/archives/albums/bestof/
- http://cgi.ebay.com
- http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1945743&skuId=17591919&type=product
- http://www.soundunwound.com/sp/contributor/view/The+Lea+Jane+Singers?contributorId=303512
- http://www.jordanaires.net/History/DuaneWest.htm
- http://www.jan-lachmann.de/killerco.htm
- http://www.tomjones.com/discography/index.aspx?id=19
- http://www.buymusichere.net/rel/v2_viewupc.php?storenr=13&upc=88697397102
- http://cgi.ebay.com/SKAGGS,-RICKY—Highways-and-Heartaches_W0QQitemZ120389880387QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090310?IMSfp=TL090310121008r20484
- http://www.karentaylorgood.com/media/Biography_Country_Music_People_KarenTaylor-Good.pdf
- http://www.lpdiscography.com/h/Hall/hall_inconcert.htm
- http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1511697/a/Rockin’+My+Life+Away:+The+Jerry+Lee+Collection.htm
- http://www.virginmega.fr/artiste/the-lea-jane-singers-385342,-1,page1.htm