Bobbie Smith & The Dream Girls

The Dream Girls, female R&B vocal quartet, are probably one of Detroit, Michigan's best kept secrets when it comes to girl groups of the 50’s and 60’s. While they cranked out 10 singles between 1959 and 1965, they stood in the shadows of hit-makers like the Supremes, the Shirelles, the Marvelettes, and the plethora of girl groups that hit the scene during this early era of Doo Wop, R&B, and Soul. Discovered by Irving Micahnik and Harry Balk of Artists, Inc. based in Detroit, the group was made up of four young girls that included Bobbie Smith (Elma Holman), her sister Sheena Carson (Genever Holman), Kay Green (Kay Hemphill), and Tina LaGora (Tina Green). Bobbie and Kay were 18 years old when the group started, and Sheena and Tina were 21. Bobbie sang lead as she had the best voice and the most versatility in the group. Balk and Micahnik wasted no time recording the girls. At the time, Balk managed Little Willie John and Kenny Martin, and created the Twirl Records label in order to get 1000 singles pressed and distributed locally in a hurry.