Eleanor Barooshian
Eleanor Barooshian (April 2, 1950 – August 30, 2016), also known as Eleanor Baruchian and as Chelsea Lee,[1] was a member of the band the Cake (formed in New York in 1966).[2]
Career[edit]
In the 1960s, Barooshian started out in Manhattan, New York, performing at Steve Paul's The Scene. She performed the Sonny & Cher hit "I Got You Babe" with Tiny Tim. She sang the male part, while Tiny Tim sang the female.[1] The duo appeared in You Are What You Eat, a 1968 documentary film produced by Peter Yarrow.[3] Yarrow cast them after seeing them perform at The Scene.[4]
The Cake: 1966–1968[edit]
The Cake formed in Manhattan, New York in 1966. They started out as an a cappella vocal trio, performing at The Scene. Jacobs and Morillo recruited Barooshian, forming their girl group The Cake.[4] In 1967, the trio were discovered by producers Charles Greene and Brian Stone (Greene and Stone) at New York's Ondine Discotheque basement nightclub, located near the 59th Street bridge.[4][5] The Cake signed with Decca and relocated to Los Angeles, California.[4]
Barooshian was a songwriter, and wrote the majority of the group's songs, such as "Sadie" and "Island of Plenty".[4]
In 1968, Barooshian contributed backing vocals to "Why Are We Sleeping?", a track on The Soft Machine, the 1968 debut album by the British psychedelic rock band of the same name.[6]
Ginger Baker's Air Force: 1970[edit]
Following the break-up of the Cake in 1968, Barooshian and fellow Cake member Jeanette Jacobs toured with Dr John, as his backing singers.[7] They subsequently moved to London, UK, where they became part of Ginger Baker's Air Force. In 1970, she briefly joined Ginger Baker's Air Force,[8] performing at their first live shows (March 1970 – May 1970), seen in April 1970, Copenhagen.[9] She was not involved or credited on the 1970 album.[10]
Tetsu: 1972[edit]
In the early 1970s, Barooshian recorded an album in Japan with Tetsu Yamauchi titled Tetsu (1972). She contributed as a songwriter on the album and applied vocals on the songs "Wiki Wiki", "Alexandra Stone", "Who Would I Be in the World Babe", and "Baby Blue".[11]
Later years[edit]
Barooshian left the music scene, preferring to live in the United Kingdom. She married and went by the name Chelsea Lee.[7] Later in life, she moved back to the United States, and took part in the 2006 reunion of The Cake.[4]
Influence[edit]
The Kevin Ayers song "Eleanor's Cake (Which Ate Her)" from the LP Joy of a Toy (1969) was written about Barooshian.[4]
Death[edit]
She died on August 30, 2016, at the age of 66.[7][12]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "You are what you eat". WFMU FM. 29 April 2007.
- ^ Campion, Chris (13 July 2007). "The 10: classic girl groups". The Guardian. London.
- ^ "You Are What You Eat (1968)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g Campion, Chris (22 September 2016). "The Cake: A real life 'Beyond the Valley of the Dolls'". DangerousMinds. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- ^ Marc (August 28, 2022). "Ondine, Best Known For Hosting The Doors' First New York Gigs". History Of Rock Music. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ "The Dead Rock Stars Club - The 1980s". thedeadrockstarsclub.com.
- ^ a b c Altman, John (19 September 2016). "Eleonor Barooshian obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ Angel, Jorgen. "Ginger Baker Singer Eleanor Barooshian (aka Chelsea Lee) Photo by Jorgen Angel". angel.dk. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ Angel, Jorgen. "Ginger Baker Adrian Gurvitz Photos by Jorgen Angel". angel.dk. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "Ginger Baker's Air Force – Ginger Baker's Air Force". Discogs. 1970. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
- ^ Tetsu - Album by Tetsu Yamauchi - Apple Music, October 25, 1972, retrieved May 18, 2024
- ^ "RIP Eleanor Barooshian AKA Chelsea Lee of The Cake | Steve Hoffman Music Forums".
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