Cookies (American band)

The Cookies were an American R&B girl group popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Originally formed as a backing group for Ray Charles in 1954, the lineup consisted of Margie Hendricks, Darlene McCrea, and Ethel McCrea. They provided vocals on several of Charles's hits, including "Lonely Avenue."

Over time, the group's lineup shifted. By the early 1960s, Dorothy Jones, Darlene McCrea, and Earl-Jean McCrea formed the most commercially successful configuration. This lineup signed with Dimension Records and achieved their biggest hits, including "Chains" (1962) and "Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)" (1963). "Chains" was later covered by The Beatles on their first album.

After "Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)," the Cookies experienced personnel changes and diminishing chart success. Later recordings were made under variations of the group's name, but none achieved the same level of popularity as their earlier work with Dimension Records. The Cookies are remembered for their influential contribution to the girl group sound of the early 1960s and their connection to the early careers of prominent artists.