About Parlet
Formed
1978
Genre
Funk
Parlet is essentially a trio (two trios, actually -- one with Washington, Wright, and Franklin, the other with Washington, Hayden, and Evans) of backup singers from the P-Funk mob. The group is similar to the Brides of Funkenstein in that respect, but perhaps a bit less conservative. The group was originally designed as a concept by George Clinton, as a counterpart to his original doo wop group the Parliaments. The original name for the girls group was actually the Parlettes, but it was shortened to try and escape from the Motown sound genre, again by Clinton. By their first release in the spotlight in 1978, Pleasure Principle, Parlet was "sexual satisfaction guaranteed, that's what this group is all about" according to Clinton. Under a pile of more energetic funk from the other various components of Uncle Jam's Army, Parlet was hardly able to stand out too readily, peaking on Billboard's R&B chart at number 49, with "Ridin' High," off of Invasion of the Booty Snatchers. Parlet only had two opportunities to show a stage presence, once on a 1978 European tour and again at the L.A. Funk Festivals in 1979. Other than that, they were only holding their positions in front of the backup mics as the mothership landed. After three albums, the group returned to Clinton's collective fold as backup signers once again, though they may still break loose from time to time for an unrecorded jam of their own. ~ Adam Greenberg
Members of Parlet include, or have included, Baby Washington, Jeanette Washington, Debbie Wright, and Shirley Hayden.
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