Betty Kelly

A year before, Kelly was recruited by Motown president Berry Gordy to replace departed Martha and the Vandellas member Annette Beard as a member of the group led by Martha Reeves and featuring Rosalind Ashford.

Betty Kelly joined what became the most famed lineup of the Vandellas, coming in quickly to record the single "Live Wire", which was similar to earlier Vandellas singles such as "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" and "Quicksand". The group found bigger success with what became signature songs including "Dancing in the Street", "I'm Ready for Love", "Nowhere to Run" and "Jimmy Mack". The lineup of Reeves, Ashford and Kelly helped the group becoming international stars gaining popularity from performances from The Ed Sullivan Show, Shindig! and American Bandstand. Kelly was often mistaken for being an original member of the group despite the fact that Beard had sung on the group's earlier singles, often lip-synched by Kelly when the group performed on TV. Kelly's vocals contrasted from original member Beard's. During the group's later years, Kelly often had special lead singing spots during the group's performances alongside Reeves, which led to infighting between the duo instigated during performances on stage. Read Less

In recent years, Betty Kelly has helped to organize annual music festivals in California (where she now resides), most notably the late-summer event known as Sunset Junction. Read Less