Shelly Clark

R & B singer Shelly Clark was born on July 27, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York, New York to Lilly Holmes and Eddie Clark. Her musical abilities were discovered at age two. Growing up, Clark and her brother Ilya were known as “The Clark Kids”, a singing/dancing duo. Also, in 1954, Clark was cast in the Broadway production of House of Flowers, where she worked alongside performers such Diahann Carroll and Pearl Bailey. Clark was the youngest singer to perform at the Apollo Theater. In 1957, the Clark Kids were signed to Columbia Records and released their album Calypso Songs for Children. The Clark Kids also toured with the 1957 Cotton Club Revue alongside Cab Calloway. Clark graduated from Los Angeles High School in 1965. While in high school, she took singing classes at the University of Southern California.

In 1966, Clark was cast as an “Ikette” in the Ike and Tina Turner Revue. In 1967, she served as the opening dance act for the Little Richard Revue. She also worked as a session/backup vocalist for various artists such as Dusty Springfield and Tommy Roe. In 1968, Clark sang on The Andy Williams Show alongside Carolyn Willis and Edna Wright. This led to the trio being signed by Hot Wax Records as R&B group “Honey Cone.” In 1969, Honey Cone released their first single, “While You’re Out Looking for Sugar.” The group then released four albums: Take Me with You (1970), Sweet Replies (1971), Soulful Tapestry (1971), and Love, Peace and Soul (1972). Their songs “Want Ads” (1971) and “Stick Up” (1972) were certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In 1971, “Want Ads” rose to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard R&B singles charts. That same year, Honey Cone was one of the first musical acts to appear on the television show Soul Train. Honey Cone had four top forty Billboard Hot 100 hits and nine top four Billboard R&B hits before they disbanded in 1973.

Clark went on to have a career in other areas of the entertainment industry. In 1978, she was the star of the television show Hot City Disco. She also worked as a staff coordinator for Eddie Murphy Television from the mid-1980s to 1989. Clark co-founded the W&W Talent Agency and in 2010, she co-founded the non-profit, The Verdine White Performing Arts Center (VWPAC) alongside her husband Verdine White. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Clark began a podcast called That’s My Story. In 2023, she embarked on a Honey Cone reunion tour.

Clark has received numerous accolades including the National Association of Radio Television and Radio Announcers’ “Best Female Vocal Group” in 1970, the Heroes and Legends Award in 2016, and the National Rhythm and Blues Music Society “Unsung Heroine Award” in 2016. In 2021, she and Honey Cone were inducted into the Soul Music Hall of Fame. Clark married bassist for Earth, Wind & Fire Verdine White in 1980. They have one son and a granddaughter. They reside in California.

Shelly Clark was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on September 18, 2024 and January 29, 2025.