Honey Cone - Career

Career

Honey Cone comprised Carolyn Willis, Shelly Clark and Edna Wright. Formed in 1966 and based in Los Angeles, they were the newly created Hot Wax Records' first signing to that fledgling label. The trio had previous musical experience with Willis previously a member of The Girlfriends; Clark an ex-member of the Ikettes; while Wright was a member of gospel group The COGIC'S. They had been singing together for a short while when they were spotted by Eddie Holland in 1966 who renamed them Honey Cone.

Honey Cone and Hot Wax's debut single, "While You're Out Looking for Sugar," peaked at #26 on Billboard's R&B chart, but the follow-up, "Girls, It Ain't Easy," reached #8 on the same listing. It was their third release "Want Ads", that proved to be their biggest success topping both the R&B and pop chart. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in May 1971.

The same year Honey Cone had another #1 R&B hit and #11 pop hit with "Stick-Up," which also sold in excess of one million units. Further chart success continued in 1972 with "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" and "The Day I Found Myself". However all three of Honey Cone's releases in 1973 were not hits. The Hot Wax and Invictus labels then ran into financial problems, despite other hit records they had with Freda Payne, 100 Proof Aged in Soul, Laura Lee, and the Chairmen of the Board.

Honey Cone split before 1973 ended and the labels folded soon after under increasing debt. Wright went solo, releasing Oops! Here I Go Again (1976) on RCA, and Willis appeared as a featured vocalist on the Seals and Crofts hit "Get Closer."

In more recent years, Wright has performed across the US with Latari Martin and Melodye Perry, billed as 'Edna Wright and The Honey Cone.'

In 1985, Shelly Clark married Earth, Wind & Fire bassist Verdine White. The couple recently celebrated their 26th anniversary.