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VPR's coverage of arts and culture in the region.

My Place: The Cookies

Courtesy, Joel Najman
The girl-group known as "The Cookies" had members who went on to sing back-up for Ray Charles and on some of the biggest hits of the 1960s.

This week on My Place, we spotlight The Cookies, originally a trio of singing cousins who got together in Brooklyn in 1953.

In 1958, two of the Cookies signed with Ray Charles to become members of his original Raelettes and the remaining Cookie recruited two more of her first cousins and reformed the group to go on to have big pop hits including "Chains" and "Don't Say Nothin' Bad About My Baby" as well as to sing backup on some of the biggest hits of the early 1960's.

Joel has been a part of Vermont's radio scene since 1964. He began his career at WIPS in Ticonderoga, New York. In 1965, he moved to WFAD in Middlebury, Vermont, where he attended Middlebury College. Over the years, Joel worked at radio stations WJOY, WQCR, WDOT, WDEV and WVAA where he served at various times as Morning Announcer, Program Director and News Director.
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