The Ritchie Family

The Ritchie Family is a female vocal trio that originated in the mid-1970s and continues to record and perform into the 2020s.

Two members of the original lineup, Gwen Oliver (July 21, 1949 - November 27, 2020) and Cassandra Wooten, were previously part of the group Honey And The Bees, which disbanded around 1972. Following this, they attended the Philadelphia School of Performing Arts, where they met Cheryl Mason Jacks. Eventually, they crossed paths with Richie Rome, who would create The Ritchie Family, modifying his name to add a "T."

The Ritchie Family's debut album, titled [i][/i], featured session singers known as The Sweethearts and musicians, with tracks and vocals recorded prior to the formation of a live group. At this stage, Oliver, Wooten, and Mason-Jacks did not participate in the album's recordings. However, with the album's success, a need arose for a live act, prompting the trio to audition with the song "Brazil," ultimately securing their roles. This marked the beginning of their involvement with the group. The second album credited to The Ritchie Family, [i][/i], was co-written and produced by Richie Rome and Jacques Morali, officially establishing Gwen Oliver, Cassandra Wooten, and Cheryl Mason Jacks as the first recognized members. Over the years, the group would see various lineup changes but continued to produce hits.

Years later, the original lineup reunited, achieving a top 40 dance hit in 2016. In late 2020, they announced plans to record a new song. After several changes to the release schedule, the trio, consisting of Cassandra Wooten, Cheryl Mason-Jacks (now known as Cheryl Mason-Dorman), and a new member, released the hit "" in 2016. They later announced their new single "Whatcha Got?", which was postponed to June 28, 2021.

--------------------------------------------------------------- [b]GROUP HISTORY[/b] ---------------------------------------------------------------

[u][b]------------------- _ 1970s - 1990s _ ------------------- [/b][/u]

In 1977, Richie Rome departed, and producer Jacques Morali took the helm of The Ritchie Family, introducing new partners: Henri Belolo, Phil Hurtt, and Horace Ott. Their fourth album, [i][/i], was released without Rome's involvement, as the group transitioned from [l=20th Century Records] to Records. This album, titled African Queens, marked the end of the original lineup, with Cheryl, Cassandra, and Gwendolyn being replaced by new members. Cheryl and Cassandra later collaborated with Michelle Simpson to form Cas Mijac, providing background vocals for John Lennon & Yoko Ono's album [i][/i].

The first iteration of the second generation of Ritchie Family members included Ednah Holt, Theodosia "Dodie" Draher, and Jacqui Smith-Lee. Ednah left in 1978 and was succeeded by Vera Brown, who became the group's lead singer. By 1979, The Ritchie Family had moved from Marlin Records to [l=Casablanca Records].

In 1980, the group collaborated with the Village People for the film Can't Stop the Music and appeared on its soundtrack. Later, Dodie Draher was replaced by Linda James in 1982 as the group switched to RCA Records.

After deciding to part ways, following Jacques Morali's AIDS diagnosis, the group briefly continued under the name "Vera Brown and the The Rich Girls" for a single titled "Too Much Too Fast."

[u][b]------------------------- _ 2000s _ ------------------------- [/b][/u]

In the 2010s, The Ritchie Family reformed with original members Cassandra Wooten and Cheryl Mason-Dorman (formerly Cheryl Mason-Jacks). A 2019 interview with Lenny Fontana on his "True House Stories" show revealed that in the early stages of the reformation, Michelle Simpson from Cas Mijac was also involved. After some adjustments, they solidified their lineup with Renee Guillory-Wearing taking over for Gwen Oliver (also known as Gwen Wesley). It was with this configuration that the group achieved a top 40 hit in 2016 on the Billboard dance chart with "." Their Facebook page features images of Wooten, Mason-Dorman, and Guillory-Wearing, including a photo suggesting that Gwen Oliver may have joined them on stage for a performance.

Gwen Oliver, also known as Gwen Wesley, was married to trombonist Fred Wesley and had two sons. In her later years, she left the music industry and became a devoted Christian, actively participating in her church and Bible studies. Gwen Wesley passed away on November 27, 2020, at the age of 71.

An entry on The Ritchie Family's Facebook page dated December 17, 2020, announced a new single, “Whatcha Got,” initially set for release in late January or early February 2021. The release was delayed until May 19, 2021, and subsequently postponed to June 28, 2021.

--------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Interviews[/b] ---------------------------------------------------------------

* Live it Up with Donna Drake: The Ritchie Family, now represented by Martha Wash (Aug. 2016) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ISAAzAjg_E

* The Ritchie Family interviewed by Lenny Fontana for True House Stories # 017 (Nov. 2019) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olDOj-76sJ8

--------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Release[/b] ---------------------------------------------------------------

Details for the 2021 single “Whatcha Got” can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/orignalritchiefamily/photos/a.923924864405957/2116113408520424/?type=3&theater