McKinleys

Biography

Sibling girl group duo the McKinleys teamed Edinburgh, Scotland-born sisters Sheila and Jeanette -- after performing at Hamburg, Germany's famed Star Club they settled in London, signing to the Southern Music offshoot Iver Music and teaming with the songwriting and production duo of John Carter and Ken Lewis for their 1964 debut single "Someone Cares for Me," a note-perfect homage to Phil Spector's Wall of Sound. The follow-up "When He Comes Along" appeared that summer, and in December the McKinleys resurfaced with "Sweet and Tender Romance" -- although the record propelled the sisters to an appearance on the television series Ready Steady Go!, it failed to dent the charts and after one last stab, 1965's Donovan co-write "Give Him My Love," Iver terminated their contract. The McKinleys returned to Germany as the decade drew to a close, and there Sheila scored a minor solo hit with her reading of Bob Dylan's "If Not for You" -- she later joined the popular Les Humphries Singers, while Jeanette served as one-half of the duo Windows, who topped the German charts with their single "How Do You Do." Both eventually returned to the U.K., where they contributed backing vocals to sessions including Paice, Ashton & Lord's 1977 effort Malice in Wonderland in addition to mounting the occasional club tour. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide