Musical Career
The driving inspiration behind the Drinkard Singers was factory worker Nicholas "Nitch" Drinkard, who encouraged his children to form a gospel singing group in Savannah, Georgia, around 1938. The original group comprised Emily Drinkard (later known as Cissy Houston), her sister Anne, and brothers Nick and Larry. Another sister, Lee, served as the group's manager, and, as Lee Drinkard Warrick, became the mother of Dee Dee and Dionne Warwick.
By the early 1950s, the family had moved to New Jersey, and had added Marie Epps and Ann Moss to the group. Anne Drinkard left and was replaced by Lee's adopted daughter Judy Guions, who was later known as Judy Clay. Performing regularly in Newark, they recorded several singles. After an appearance at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival, they recorded the first gospel album to appear on a major label, the live album A Joyful Noise, for RCA Records in 1959.
After several personnel changes in the early 1960s, the remaining members of the group in 1967 became The Sweet Inspirations, who would sing background for the Warwick sisters, Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley.
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