The Dixie Cups were a major force in the 1960s girl group scene, knocking the Beatles off the top of the charts in 1964 with their hit, “Chapel of Love.” Over fifty years later they continue to please crowds at festivals and on the concert circuit.
Sisters Barbara and Rosa Lee Hawkins, along with their cousin Joan Johnson, were raised in New Orleans’ Calliope housing project, and began singing together in grade school in the 1950s. In 1963, they took a stab at singing professionally ast he Meltones. They connected with musician/manager Joe Jones, who took them to New York and introduced them to Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who signed the girls to their new Red Bird label and renamed them the Dixie Cups, with a nod to their New Orleans roots.
"Chapel of Love" was the group’s very first release, and it became their biggest hit. “Chapel of Love” hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in June, 1964, knocking off The Beatles’ “Love Me Do.” The enduring tune, now a staple of Oldies radio, was ranked at #279 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and has been used in various movie and television soundtracks.
The Dixie Cups continued their hit machine in 1964 and 1965 with "People Say" (#12 and another gold record designation), "You Should Have Seen the Way He Looked at Me" (#39), "Little Bell" (#51), and "Iko Iko" (#20).
“Iko Iko,” which would prove to be their last hit, was based on a traditional New Orleans street chant first recorded by James “Sugar Boy” Crawford (grandfather of pianist Davell Crawford) as “Jock-A-Mo.” Lieber and Stoller rolled the tape as the Dixie Cups clowned in the studio, using drumsticks on ashtrays to provide the song’s distinctive percussive sound. The song regained the public’s attention when used in the soundtrack to the 1988 Dustin Hoffman/Tom Cruise hit movie, Rain Man.
As with so many bands of the era, management and label issues plagued the Dixie Cups, and they eventually returned to New Orleans and took up alternate careers while still continuing to perform. Johnson moved on and was replaced first by Beverly Brown, then Dale Mickle. Today, Barbara Hawkins is joined on stage by Athelgra Neville, a sister of The Neville Brothers, and New Orleans singer Naydja Cojoe.
The Dixie Cups have received countless accolades over the course of their 50-plus year history. The Rhythm and Blues Foundation honored them with a Pioneer Award in 2003, and in 2007, they were inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
