Doris Coley
Her warm, resonant voice provided the heartfelt lead on the Shirelles' timeless hits, helping to define the sound of early 1960s pop.
1941–2000 (age 59)·American singer·Birthday: August 2·The Silent Generation
Biography
Doris Coley's journey from Passaic, New Jersey, to the top of the charts began in high school, when she and three friends formed the Shirelles. While Shirley Owens often shared lead duties, it was Doris's rich, emotive contralto that anchored their most tender ballad, 'Dedicated to the One I Love'. Her voice, full of genuine yearning and warmth, was instrumental in transforming the group from a schoolgirl act into America's first major female vocal group, paving the way for the girl group phenomenon. She left the band in 1968 to focus on family, but returned nearly a decade later, performing with various line-ups for years and ensuring the classic songs continued to resonate with new audiences.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Doris was born in 1941, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Doris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1941
#1 Movie
Sergeant York
Best Picture
How Green Was My Valley
Doris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1941Born
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1946Started school
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1954Became a teenager
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Could drive
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1959Could vote
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Turned 21
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1971Turned 30
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 40
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 50
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Died at 59
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
Key Achievements
- Provided the lead vocal on the Shirelles' classic hit 'Dedicated to the One I Love', a song later covered by numerous artists.
- As a founding member of the Shirelles, helped the group become the first all-female band to have a number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 with 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow'.
- Was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 as a member of the Shirelles.
- The Shirelles' work was recognized with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award for 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow'.
Did You Know?
She was known within the group by the nickname 'Dee Dee'.
She left the music business for several years in the late 1960s to raise her children.
Through marriages, she was known professionally as both Doris Kenner and Doris Jackson.
The Shirelles originally formed to perform at a high school talent show.
“Baby, just close your eyes and let me sing it to you.”
