Carla Benson



Barbara Ingram

and

Evette Benton
The Sweethearts Of Sigma Sound
    By all accounts Carla, Evette and Barbara earned their nickname by their genuine "sweetness," and having voices that carried many a recording artist to the top of the charts. I'm willing to bet that anyone reading this has at least one record in their possession that features these talented and lovely singers. Despite their combined prolific careers they are barely known outside of the circle of recording insiders. And even more frustrating is the apparent lack of any information about them. I've exhuasted all avenues of research but feel compelled to honor these ladies for their immense contributions to recorded music but mainly in the realm of disco music.
     Barbara is the most accessible. Barbara hails from Camden, New Jersey. Her five brothers were singers in their own rights and had a somewhat successful career. Ingram were officially launched after lead member Norman 'Butch' Ingram was forced to give up a professional basketball career after an accident. The band, prior to Butch's accident, had been a group called The Ecstasies. All the family members were encouraged to study music by their minister father who also was a D.J. on WIMR in Philadelphia. Butch taught himself the bass, acquired some recording equipment and put the family to work on their first album "Ingram's Kingdom." When it sold 25,000 copies they signed to H & L the following year for their second album "That's All" (1977). The album featured an instrumental "Mi Sabrina Tequana" which became a cult dance record on the U.K.'s underground soul scene. H & L went out of business, but the name Ingram was tied up contractually for two years, preventing the group from using it. Around the same time Butch Ingram began work producing an album for Philly Cream, but the group split up before the album was finished. Ingram stepped in to finish it off, and adopted the name for the album later released by WMOT Records. Ingram continued to record as Philly Cream after the first album, and in 1979 had an American hit with "Motown Review." They also worked as a studio group with The Stylistics, Blue Magic, Barbara Mason, David Simmons, Brandi Wells and Ronnie Dyson (with whom Barbara recorded the duet "Let The Love Begin"). In 1983, they recorded as Ingrarn once again, releasing "Would You Like To Fly," including "Smoothin' Groovin" (UK Top 75) and "'DJ's Delight" on the Mirage label (via Streetwave in the UK). Their follow-up was "Night Stalkers" (1984). In 1985 James Ingram produced The Sweethearts, while John released a solo single debut "Can I Take You Home Tonight" before fallin off of the musical landscape.
     I have not been able to ascertain the birth years and places of Carla or Evette and can only surmise via discographies that the three began recording together around 1972. The first appearance that I've been able to verify of the three recording together was on "The Spinners ." It seems that the "Sweethearts" gained momentum through the 1970's with their backing vocal careers peaking with the disco era. I was saddened to not be able to find out more about these talented divas but shocked at the sheer volume of the work and the lack of respect given them. So all I can give you is an overview of their legacy....Barbara, Carla and Evette...wherever you are.......THANK YOU!

The Sweeties can be heard on:
Claudja Barry  Girl Most Likely (1977)  
Claudja Barry  Claudja (1978)  
Archie Bell & the Drells  Tightening It Up: The Best of... (1994)
Rory Block  You're the One (1978)
Blue Magic  Best of Blue Magic: Soulful Spell (1996) 
Jerry Butler  Nothing Says I Love You Like I... (1979)
Jean Carn  Happy to Be with You (1978)  
Don Covay  Travelin' in Heavy Traffic (1976)
John Davis & The Monster...  Night and Day   
Double Exposure  Ten Percent (1976)  
Double Exposure  Locker Room   
Ronnie Dyson  Constantly (1995)  
Dee Edwards  Heavy Love (1979)  
Gloria Gaynor  I Will Survive: The Anthology (1998) 
Gaz  Gaz (197 )  
J. Geils Band  Monkey Island (1977)  
Damon Harris  Silk (1995)  
Major Harris  Best of Now and Then (1994)  
Major Harris  I Believe in Love (1995)  
Michael Henderson  In the Night-Time (1978)  
Michael Henderson  Do It All (1979)  
D'atra Hicks  D'Atra Hicks (1989) 
Loleatta Holloway  Loleatta [1977] (1977)  
Loleatta Holloway  Love Sensation (1980)
Eddie Holman  Night to Remember (1977)  
Geraldine Hunt  Can't Fake the Feeling (1994)  
Phil Hurtt  Giving It Back (1978)  
Phil Hurtt  P H Factor (1979)  
Phyllis Hyman  Phyllis Hyman [Buddah] (1977)  
Billy Jackson & the...  Billy Jackson & The Citizen's Band (1976)  
Willis "Gator" Jackson  Way We Were (1975)  
Freddie James  Get Up & Boogie (1994)  
Elton John  Complete Thom Bell Sessions (1989)  
France Joli  Tonight (1980) Vocals,  
France Joli  Come to Me (1994)  
France Joli  Now (1994) 
Grace Jones  Portfolio (1977)  
Grace Jones  Fame (1978)
Shirley Jones  Always in the Mood (1986)  
Patti LaBelle  Winner in You (1986)  
Webster Lewis  On the Town   
Love Committee  Law & Order (1978)
MFSB  Mysteries of the World (1980)  
McFadden & Whitehead  McFadden & Whitehead (1979)  
Melba Moore  Portrait of Melba (1978)
Melba Moore  What a Woman Needs (1981)
Nightlife Unlimited  Nightlife Unlimited (1979)  
Nightlife Unlimited  Disco Choo Choo (1997) 
The O'Jays  So Full of Love (1978)
Billy Paul  Let 'Em In/Only the Strong Survive (1999)  
Teddy Pendergrass  TP (1980)
Teddy Pendergrass  It's Time for Love/This One's for... (1999)  
Lou Rawls  When You Hear Lou, You've Heard It (1977)
Lou Rawls  Let Me Be Good to You/Sit Down and (1999)  
Richie Rome  Deep (1980)
The Salsoul Orchestra  Nice 'N' Naasty (1976)
The Salsoul Orchestra  Christmas Jollies (1976) 
The Salsoul Orchestra  Magic Journey (1977)
Bunny Sigler  I've Always Wanted to Sing...Not... (1979) 
Bunny Sigler  Not Just Write Songs (1979)
David Simmons  Hear Me Out (1978)
David Simmons  World Belongs to Me (1979)  
Joe Simon  Love Vibrations/Happy Birthday... (2000)
The Spinners  Spinners (1972)
The Spinners  Mighty Love (1974)
The Spinners  New and Improved (1974)
The Spinners Happines Is Being With the... (1976) 
The Spinners  Chrome Collection (2003)
Cat Stevens  Izitso (1977)
The Stylistics  Stylistics (1971) 
The Stylistics  Rockin' Roll Baby (1973)
The Trammps  Disco Inferno [Atlantic] (1976)  
The Trammps  Whole World's Dancing (1979) 
The Trammps  This Is Where the Happy People Go: (1994)
Stanley Turrentine  What About You! (1978) 
The Tymes  Tymes Up (1976)  
Dexter Wansel  Life on Mars (1976)  
Dexter Wansel  What the World Is Coming To (1977)  
Dexter Wansel  Voyager (1978) 
Dexter Wansel  Time Is Slipping Away (1979)

Okay Okay...before you start e-mailing me...this is NOT a complete discography of the "Sweethearts" work, but more of a sampling to show their versatility and far reaching scope. I venture to say that of anyone who has recorded dance music these three lovely ladies hold the record for the most prolific "disco" career ever! I hope that all three are happy, healthy and loved.....
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