Doowopheaven: The Ikettes (2) aka The Mirettes

The Ikettes (2) aka The Mirettes (St. Louis, MO)
(Photo update by Jean-Christophe)

Jessie Smith, Robbie Montgomery, Venetta Fields

Group members:

Venetta Fields (lead)

Robbie Montgomery

Jessie Smith

Discography:

Ike & Tina Turner Revue With The Ikettes (2)

1964 – Here’s Your Heart / [Here’s Your Heart (instrumental)] (Innis 3000)

The Ikettes (2)

1964 - Camel Walk / Nobody Loves Me (Modern 1003)

1965 - Peaches ‘N’ Cream / The Biggest Players (Modern 1005)

1965 - (He’s Gonna Be) Fine, Fine, Fine / How Come (Modern 1008)

1965 – Don’t Feel Sorry For Me / I’m So Thankful (Modern 1011)

1965 - Sally Go Round The Roses / (Never More) Lonely For You (Modern 1015)

1965 - Da Doo Ron Ron / Not That I Recall (Modern 1024)

1965 – What’cha Gonna Do (When I Leave You) / Down Down (Phi Dan 5009)

The Mirettes

Singles:

1966 – He’s Alright With Me / Your Kind Ain’t No Good (Mirwood 5514)

1966 – He’s Alright With Me / Now That I’ve Found You Baby (Mirwood 5531)

1968 - In The Midnight Hour / To Love Somebody (Revue 11004)

1968 - The Real Thing / Take Me For A Little While (Revue 11017)

1968 - First Love / I’m A Whole New Thing (Revue 11029)

1968 - Help Wanted / Play Fair (Minit 32045)

1969 - Stand By Your Man / If Everybody’d Help Somebody (Uni 55110)

1969 - Heart Full Of Gladness / Ain’t You Trying To Cross Over? (Uni 55126)

1969 - Whirlpool / You Ain’t Trying To Cross Over? (Uni 55147)

1970 – Ain’t My Stuff Good Enough / Time And The Season (Zea 50002)

Unreleased:

1966 - I Wanna Do Everything For You Baby (Mirwood)

Albums:

1968 - Take Me For A Little While / The Real Thing / I’m A Whole New Thing / On The Good Ship Lollipop / Somewhere / Keep On Running / First Love / Tweedle Dee / To Love Somebody / In The Midnight Hour (Revue LP RS 7205)

1969 - Sister Watch Yourself / Somethin’s Wrong / Whirlpool / So Lonely / At Last (I Found A Love) / Heart Full Of Gladness / Ain’t You Trying To Cross Over? / If Everybody'd Help Somebody / Stand By Your Man / I Miss You Baby (How I Miss You) (Uni LP 73062)

Nate Turner, Venetta Fields & The Mirettes / Nate Turner & The Mirettes

1969 - Rap, Run It On Down / Sweet Soul Sister (Uni 55161)

Biography:

This female vocal trio of Vanetta Fields, Robbie Montgomery and Jessie Smith first began as The Ikettes (second lineup, from 1964 through 1966), backing the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, and also scored two nationally-charted hit singles as The Ikettes at Modern Records in 1965 – “Peaches 'N' Cream,” a # 28 R&B/# 36 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in April b/w “The Biggest Prayers” on Modern 1005, and “I'm So Thankful,” a # 12 R&B/# 74 Hot 100 in October on Modern 1011 b/w “Don't Feel Sorry For Me”.

Venetta Fields, Robbie Montgomery, Jessie Smith

A disagreement in late 1965 resulted in Fields, Montgomery and Smith leaving the Revue but, due to legal problems, they were forced to change their name. Since they had contracted to record for Randy Wood’s new Mirwood label they became The Mirettes and in 1966 they released “He's Alright With Me” b/w “Your Kind Ain't No Good” on Mirwood 5514. It went nowhere, nor did the 1967 single re-issuing “He's Alright With Me” b/w “Now That I've Found You Baby” on Mirwood 5531, likely because what promotional funds were at Wood’s disposal went towards things like The Olympics’ “Mine Exclusively”, and. Bob & Earl’s “Baby It's Over,” both of which became minor hits.

Robbie Montgomery (top), Venetta Fields, Jessie Smith

When they next re-located to the MCA subsidiary Revue in Hollywood in 1968, you might think they may have been better served coming up with a new name, but they stuck with Mirettes when recording a cover of the 1965 Wilson Pickett hit “In The Midnight Hour,” and their sexy delivery got them back on the charts in February/March at # 18 R&B and just missed the Hot 100 Top 40 at # 45 on Revue 11004 b/w “To Love Somebody”. That was good enough to earn them their first LP - the one covered here (Revue LP RS-7205 “In The Midnight Hour”.

Robbie Montgomery, Jessie Smith, Venetta Fields

From that album Revue also issued these two 1968 singles, but while they did alright regionally, neither could get them back on the national charts: “Take Me For A Little While” b/w “The Real Thing” (Revue 11017) and “I'm A Whole New Thing” b/w “First Love” (Revue 11029). A short stop at the Liberty subsidiary Minit in 1968 where, still calling themselves The Mirettes, they released “Help Wanted” b/w “Play Fair” on Minit 32045 also proved to be unsuccessful.

Robbie Montgomery, Jessie Smith, Venetta Fields

In 1969 they moved on to UNI Records (Universal City Records), yet another MCA-owned operation, where they recorded the album “Whirlpool” (UNI 73062). These three singles culled from the album all failed to chart in 1969: “Stand By Your Man” b/w “If Everybody'd Help Somebody” (UNI 55110); “Heart Full Of Gladness” b/w “Ain’t You Trying To Cross Over?” (UNI 55126); and “Whirlpool” b/w “Ain't You Trying To Cross Over?” (UNI 55147). A fourth single – “Rap Run It On Down” (Nate Turner & The Mirettes) b/w “Sweet Soul Sister” (Vanetta Fields & The Mirettes) on UNI 55161 also bombed.