A brief appearance on Billboard’s Bubbling Under chart belies the fact that the Charmaines were Cincinnati’s leading 1960s girl group. Formed by Marian “Gigi” Jackson, Dee Watkins and Irene Vinegar, the group was awarded a contract with
Fraternity Records for winning a talent show. Gigi’s sister Jerri sang on many of the group’s records but was too young to perform in nightclubs. When Dee
left to get married, Jerri joined as a full-time member.
The Charmaines called it a day in the early 70s but several of their records remained popular with dancers on the UK’s Northern Soul scene. That popularity received a boost in the mid-2000s when their great version of Ike & Tina Turner’s ‘I Idolize You’ was made available for the first time, immediately finding favour with DJs and club-goers.