The Cover Girls

The Cover Girls is a New York City-based freestyle girl group that achieved the majority of its chart success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Among the group's best-known songs are "Show Me", "We Can't Go Wrong", "Funk Boutique" and "Wishing on a Star".

Origins

The Cover Girls began its musical career in 1986 at a time when other American and British girl groups such as Exposé, Bananarama, Seduction, Sweet Sensation and Company B were scoring hit singles on the pop and dance charts. The group was formed by music producer and songwriter Andy "Panda" Tripoli and music promoter and dance club owner Sal Abbatiello^[1] and was originally composed of singers Louise Angel Sabater (a.k.a. Angel Clivillés), Caroline Jackson and Sunshine Wright. The increased popularity of freestyle music, a Latin-influenced form of electronic dance music, played an influential role in the style of the group's initial recordings.

Personnel changes

In late 1987, Wright decided to leave the group and was replaced by Margo Urban. In 1990, while the Cover Girls were the opening act on the New Kids on the Block tour, Sabater embarked on a solo career; singer Evelyn Escalera was hired to replace her. Then in 1992, Urban left the group and was replaced by Michelle Valentine, leaving Jackson as the sole original member. By the time they released their fourth studio album, Satisfy in 1996, the majority of the lead vocals were being performed by Valentine with background session singers and with Escalera coming back in from a 2-year hiatus. In 2001, Escalera enlisted Lorraine Munoz and Sabrina Nieves and toured as the Cover Girls. Evelyn Escalera, Sabrina Nieves and Lorraine Munoz still tour as the Cover Girls. Angel Mercado, Caroline Esposito, and Margo Urban still performs as The Original Cover Girls. It is unknown whether a fifth studio album will be released.

Chart success

The Cover Girls released their first album, Show Me, in late 1986. Five singles were released from this album, including the Top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hits "Because of You" and "Promise Me". The title track of the album was released as a 12-inch single prior to the album's release and was a Top 5 hit on the US dance chart. In 1988 the song "Better Late Than Never" was released as a promotional single from the Coming To America Soundtrack.

The group's second album, We Can't Go Wrong, was released in 1989 and included the song "My Heart Skips a Beat" (Pop Top 40, Dance Top 5) as well as the title track, which was the group's first Top 10 pop hit in early 1990, peaking at #8. The Cover Girls performed "My Heart Skips a Beat" and "We Can't Go Wrong" on the series finale^[2][3] of American Bandstand in October 1989. "All That Glitters Isn't Gold" was the third single released from the We Can't Go Wrong album. Shortly after its release Sabater left the group to pursue a solo career.

The single "Don't Stop Now"^[4] was released in 1990 with "Funk Boutique" originally as the B-Side.^[5] This was Evelyn Escalera's first recording with the group. The song "Don't Stop Now" is credited for getting the Cover Girls signed to Epic Records. In 1990, the Cover Girls recorded the song "New York City Christmas" with Escalera on lead vocals. The song has appeared on several Christmas compilations. In 1990 "Funk Boutique" began to be played at radio and in 1991 a single including remixes of the song was then released with "Don't Stop Now" as the B-Side.

The group's third studio album, Here It Is, released in 1992, produced the group's most recent hit, a cover version of the Rose Royce 1978 song "Wishing on a Star", with new co-lead singer Michelle Valentine. The Cover Girls' version of this song became its second Top 10 pop hit when it peaked at #9 in the summer of 1992. The song also reached the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart that same year. Followed by the single "Thank You", with Valentine and Escalera sharing lead vocals. A Spanish Version of the song "Wishing On A Star" was recorded as the B-Side to "Thank You", with Escalera and Valentine both contributing lead vocals on this version. "If You Want My Love (here it is)" was the final single from the album "Here It Is". In 1994, the group contributed the new song "You Better Change" to the soundtrack of the film I Like It Like That.

The group returned in 1996 with the album "Satisfy". Both singles off the album had different versions and different lead vocals for each song. The first single "I Am Woman" was released originally with Valentine on lead vocals. But shortly after the single was released Valentine left the group. Lead vocals where then taken over by Gayle Ellis. On "I Need Your Lovin'" the album vocals where by Valentine and the single remix vocals where handled by Ellis and Escalera (who had then returned to the group from hiatis). Nicki Richards also recorded her lead vocals on some of the "Satisy" album tracks.

In 1997, Sabrina Nieves contributed the track "Supersonic" under the name Sabrina Sang on the Jock Jams Vol. 3 album.

In 1998, Lorraine Munoz released the single "Ritmo De La Noche" under the name Lorena Martinez from the Latin Mix USA album.

Former member Sabater (aka Angel Clivillés or Mercado) released her solo debut album, Angel, in 2000.

In 2002 a remake of the song "Hooked On You" was recorded by Escalera for the album Freestyle Party. Promotional remixes of the song, also featuring Escalera where released by Fever Records. A planned dance single for the song "I'll Stand By You" featuring Escalera, Lorraine Munoz and Sabrina Nieves was never released.

In 2006 The Cover Girls (Escalera, Munoz and Nieves) contributed vocals on the Cobra Starship song "The Ballad of Big Poppa and Diamond Girl" from the Cobra Starship album While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets.

In November 2008, Evelyn Escalera released her first solo single, a cover of the Mariah Carey Christmas classic "All I Want for Christmas is You", available on iTunes, under her new pseudonym Evelyn DeMille. In 2010, Evelyn Escalera contributed the track "Grown Up Christmas List" to the "A Traditional Freestyle Christmas Vol 1" Album.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

References

External links

• Fever Records
• The Cover Girls at AllMusic