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American vocal group

The Ritchie Family are an American vocal group based in Philadelphia that achieved several hits during the disco era. They have reunited and continue to perform. Their latest single "Whatcha Got" was released in 2021.

The three original members were not related; the group was a creation of Jacques Morali who also formed the Village People. The group took its name from record producer Richie Rome, who added a T to the name; it originally consisted of three singers: Cassandra Ann Wooten and Gwendolyn Oliver (who eventually married musician Fred Wesley) of the girl group Honey & the Bees, and Cheryl Mason Jacks. Their manager was Jimmy Bishop, a successful Philadelphia radio personality who also managed Barbara Mason. Morali remembered Wooten and Oliver had done some session work for him, and he called them a few years later when he wanted to form a group and the Ritchie Family was born. Following Brazil, they had success with the Arabian Nights album. Their follow up albums Life Is Music, which followed a 1930s theme, and African Queens were only mediocre successes. Each of these four albums was a concept album featuring songs of a similar theme as suggested by each album title. Each album also featured a long medley, usually running from 15 to 20 minutes.

The 1978 album, American Generation, featuring the new line up was a slight departure from disco and more in the style of Europop, although one of the singles from it was called "I Feel Disco Good." The group abandoned the exotic and highly kitsch costumes of their earlier incarnation in favour of a more contemporary, sexually provocative style. For the next album, Bad Reputation, they brought in Victor Willis (original lead singer of Village People) joining Jacques Morali in writing the material. Holt soon departed (and formed her own group Ednah Holt and Starluv) and was replaced by lead singer Vera Brown; the group enjoyed success with "Put Your Feet to the Beat." The Ritchie Family line up of Brown, Smith Lee and Draher next recorded the Give Me A Break album, which contained the hits "Give Me A Break" and "Never Be Able to Set You Free." Continuing with album releases, the next was a markedly different partnership with Jacques Fred Petrus and Mauro Malavasi, the pair behind Change. The album they recorded was I'll Do My Best (For You Baby); following that was All Night All Right (1983). By this time, Dodie Draher had left the group and newcomer Linda James took over her spot. In 1980, they joined Village People for the movie Can't Stop the Music. The film was a resounding failure and still appears on many critics' "worst ever" lists; however, the soundtrack album sold well in some parts of the world. Disco music had peaked in major territories such as the USA. After deciding to split, when group owner Jacques Morali discovered he had AIDS, the group continued as Vera Brown and the Rich Girls for one song called "Too Much Too Fast" that failed completely. Vera Brown has reformed The Ritchie Family, with Dodie Draher and Jacqui Smith Lee, but without further releases. With original members Wooten, Mason Jacks and Oliver, the group achieved its highest grossing sales.

Cas Mijac is the name given to a background vocal group which was made up of Michelle Simpson, Cassandra Wooten and Cheryl Mason Jacks. Wooten and Jacks tried to re group after their leaving The Ritchie Family. In 1980, Wooten, Mason Jacks joined Michelle Simpson and sang background vocals on John Lennon's Double Fantasy album. Working with Tony Davilio, they first worked on "Starting Over". As Davilio tells it, they were set up in the studio about three feet away from him around a suspended microphone. Because Wooten, Mason Jacks, and Simpson didn't read music, Davilio was at the piano giving them their notes. He had to do it a few times and giving each of them their notes a few bars at a time. This method was used in the recording process as well. This can take time. Whenever one of Cas Mijac had to do a retake, the engineer would have to stop the tape and re cue it back to the point of recording. After the couple of minutes it took to do this, they would sometimes forget their notes which frustrated Davilio who having been a smoker was suffering the effects of nicotine withdrawal. He would forget their names, confusing Cassandra with Cheryl. With the session continuing and both parties forgetting things he was getting frustrated and they were getting annoyed and things were getting unpleasant. While working on the song "Woman" he continued with the misnaming. Meanwhile Lennon had come into the studio and was standing behind him and, in Davilio's words, slapped Davilio "upside the head". The women were discussing going on the road with Lennon, but his being killed ended that opportunity. After that they put priority on new careers and their families. Gwendolyn Oliver (married to musician Fred Wesley) opted for the quiet life, was a committed Christian who was very involved in her church and held Bible study sessions.

In the beginning of reforming, Cheryl Mason Dorman and Cassandra Wooten worked for a period of time with Michelle Simpson who they worked with in Cas Mijac. Then they stopped for a period and then later settled with Renee Guilory Wearing. Now with original members Cassandra Wooten, Cheryl Mason Dorman and new member Renee Guilory Wearing as the reformed group they started touring. The Ritchie Family is featured in Jim Arena's book First Ladies of Disco, released in June 2013. The song was later remixed and released as a maxi single of six tracks. In 2021, they released the single, "Whatcha Got". The group appeared on the Italian Show ‘I Migilor Anni Dell 'Estate' on May 27, 2023.

Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album US NLD1975 "Brazil" 11 13 1 65 9 47 25 — — 41 Brazil "Peanut Vendor" / "Frenesi" (medley) — — 4 — — — — — — — "I Want to Dance with You (Dance with Me)" 84 74 18 — 80 — — — — —1976 "The Best Disco in Town" 17 12 1 3 15 22 2 10 13 10 MC: Gold Arabian Nights1977 "Life Is Music" 102 74 8 55 50 50 — — — — Life Is Music "Lady Luck" — — — — — — — — — "Disco Blues" — — — — — — — — — "Quiet Village" — 68 1 — — — — — — — African Queens "African Queens" — — — — — — — — — "Summer Dance" — — — — — — — — —1978 "American Generation" — — 19 — — 28 8 — — 49 American Generation "I Feel Disco Good" — — — 26 — — — — — "Music Man" — — — — — — — — —1979 "It's a Man's World" — — — — — — — — — — Bad Reputation "Put Your Feet to the Beat" — — 14 — — — — — — — "Where Are the Men" — — — — — — — — — —1980 "Give Me a Break" — 80 25 91 — — 15 — 17 — Give Me a Break "All My Love" — — — — — — — — — — "I'll Never Be Able to Set You Free" — — — — — — — — — —1982 "I'll Do My Best (For You Baby)" — 27 17 — — — — — — — I'll Do My Best1983 "All Night All Right" — 77 — — — — — — — — All Night All Right1987 "The Best Disco in Town (Original Remix 87)" — — — — — — 93 — — — align=left rowspan="2" 2016 "Ice" — — 40 — — — — — — —2021 "Whatcha Got" — —— — — — — — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. "The Best Disco in Town" also charted at No. 4 on the Disco Action chart as part of all tracks from the album Arabian Nights.