The Mary Jane Girls In-depth Biography
Just as Vanity 6} and Apollonia 6} wouldn't have existed without Prince}, the Mary Jane Girls} were created by Rick James} and were very much a product of the funkster's imagination. The group's name was coined in the late '70s, when James} hired them as background singers for his Stone City Band}. The Mary Jane Girls} (whose name underscored James}' fondness for marijuana) soon became an actual group, and in the early '80s were signed to Motown} (the R&B} powerhouse for which James} and his protégée Teena Marie} had been recording). With a lineup consisting of Joanne "Jojo" McDuffie} (the main singer), Candice "Candi" Ghant}, Kim "Maxi" Wuletich}, and Ann "Cheri" Bailey}, the Mary Jane Girls} portrayed various characters James} had developed -- while JoJo} was the tough street chick and Candi} was the glamorous supermodel, Cheri} was the cutesy Valley Girl and Maxi} was the whip-toting, handcuff-carrying dominatrix in black leather. In 1985, Ann "Cheri" Bailey} was replaced by Yvette "Corvette" Marine}.
James} did all of the writing and producing on the Mary Jane Girls}' self-titled debut album of 1983 (which boasted such hits as the infectious "Candy Man"} and the sexy, irresistible "All Night Long"}) as well as on the group's sophomore effort of 1985, Only Four You}. That album contained the number three R&B} hit "In My House"} and the number ten R&B} hit "Wild and Crazy Love."} The only song James} didn't write for the group was a 1986 cover of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons}' "Walk Like a Man,"} which was included in the comedy} film A Fine Mess}.
Regrettably, the Mary Jane Girls} never recorded a third album. James} had a major falling out with Motown} in the mid-'80s, and this would lead to the group's breakup. When Ghant} was working at the music-industry trade magazine Black Radio Exclusive} in 1986, she told On the Scene} magazine that she hoped to see the Mary Jane Girls} continue and work with hit producers/songwriters Jimmy Jam} and Terry Lewis}. But that never came about. By 1987, the group had officially broken up. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
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