’60s Girl Groups, Part II

Class Schedule: April 23, 28, & 30, 2026 | 7:30 – 9:00 PM

The early 1960s began the girl group renaissance, with prominent Brill Building songwriters and emerging producers such as Phil Spector crafting hits. Motown would further set the template, with Martha and the Vandellas, the Velvettes, and the Marvelettes inspiring even British Invasion groups.  Perhaps no one defined the girl group aesthetic like the Supremes, one of the most successful (and influential) acts of the 1960s.

As the next decade loomed, the girl group genre was not as prominent on the charts.  Yet the Honey Cone, the Emotions, the Three Degrees, and LaBelle added a thoroughly modern spin on the girl group sound, adding elements of disco and funk.  The Pointer Sisters would achieve even greater success in the late 1970s and 1980s, with the 1990s bringing a new wave of groups such as En Vogue, the Spice Girls, and SWV.  The trend continues today with an international flair, as the hugely popular K-Pop genre has redrawn the blueprint with artists such as Blackpink and Twice. Part two travels through these eras, exploring why the girl group genre continues to thrive. Multimedia presentations and discussions will help define how girl groups changed music and pop culture.

Zoom Link will be provided upon registration.