The Crystals

Aliases: The Crystals [US]
Years active: since 1961
Country: United States
Comments: Vocal group based in New York and considered one of the defining acts of the girl group era in the first half of the 1960s. In 1961 Barbara Alston, Mary Thomas, Dolores "Dee Dee" Kenniebrew, Myrna Giraud and Patricia "Patsy" Wright formed The Crystals. Soon the quintet signed with Phil Spector's label Philles Records. "Dee Dee" Kenniebrew invited LaLa Brooks to join the band in 1962 as a replacement for Myrna Giraud. In 1963 Alston, who suffered from stage fright, stepped down from the lead spot giving it to Brooks. Tension between Spector and The Crystals rose when he relocated to Los Angeles to record his famous Wall of Sound productions with The Wrecking Crew, whereas The Crystals, with the exception of LaLa Brooks, were reluctant to leave New York City. As a result, many songs credited to The Crystals were actually performed by different singers, such as The Blossoms and The Ronettes.
Member: La La Brooks Lead singer (1962-1967)