Rosetta Hightower

Rosetta Hightower made her primary mark as the lead singer of the Orlons, who rolled off a series of girl group soul hits in the early '60s, including "The Wah-Watusi," "Don't Hang Up," "South Street," and "Not Me." After the Orlons broke up, Hightower moved to England, where she recorded a few singles and released, in 1971, a couple similarly titled albums. Hightower was by far the best of these, merging rock, soul, and folk-rock with stellar session musicians like Rick Grech, Harold McNair, Jim Price, and Bobby Keys. Although the other LP, Rosetta Hightower, was well done and well sung, it was devoted to Motown covers, rather than to more distinctive material that might have helped her make a name for herself as a solo artist. Both albums have been reissued on CD, with songs from her late-'60s and early-'70s U.K. 45s added as bonus tracks. Hightower died in London in 2014; she was 70 years old.
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo