The Three Degrees started in 1963 in Philadelphia, PA.
The original members of the Three Degrees were Fayette Pickney, Shirley Porter, and Linda Turner. Barret, theyr producer, recorded their very first song entitled "Gee Baby (I'm Sorry)." Barrett also began managing and producing Sheila Ferguson who was a high school friend of Helen's. Barrett signed the Three Degrees and Sheila Ferguson to Swan Records in 1965. The Three Degrees released a lot of singles like "I'm Gonna Need You" and a remake of "Maybe" with Helen taking the lead vocals.
By 1966 Helen decided to leave the group and start a family not knowing she would return 10 years later. Sheila Ferguson filled in for Helen and would remain in the group for 20 years. Sheila sang backup on all the Three Degrees Swan recordings as did the Three Degrees for her solo singles making her seem like a fourth degree. By 1970 the girls were signed to Roulette Records. They released their first LP entitled "Maybe" which was a revised version of the song with a long rap at the beginning with Valerie on the lead vocals. That song brought them to #4 on the R&B charts.
In 1973 Barrett signed them to Philadelphia International Records. Their first PIR album was self titled. Altogether The Three Degrees recorded 3 albums for the label. The first album spawned 3 top hits. The first single was "Year Of Decision" which made it to the top 10 in the UK. The second single "When Will I See You Again" was the one that would make them famous forever. It went number one all over the world and it won the 3rd annual Tokyo Music Festival in Japan. It had them in constant demand perfoming in front of full houses at the London Palladium.
The Three Degrees also recorded a "Live" album and an album called "International" which had songs that were sung in different languages. There were 2 songs in that album that were big in Japan: "Midnight Train" and "Nigai Namida" which were recorded in Japanese. In 1975 the grouped moved to CBS records and released two albums in Japan called "A Toast Of Love" and "Live In Japan."
In 1978 The Three Degrees were signed to Ariola Records in Europe and began working with Gorgio Moroder who was the hit producer for Donna Summer. They released 3 albums on Ariola with 4 top 10 UK hits: "The Runner," "My Simple Heart," "Giving Up Giving In," and "Woman In Love."
Between 1982 and 1985 The Three Degrees released 2 albums on their own label entitled "Album of Love" and "Live in the UK." On that label they released 2 singles both written by Sheila entitled "Liar" and "A Sonnet To Love". They returned to the charts in 1985 with a song called "The Heaven I Need" which was produced by Stock/Aitken/Waterman on Supreme Records.
In 1986 Sheila Ferguson decided to leave the group. Helen Scott and Valerie Holiday replaced her with Victoria Wallace, and they recorded an album entitled "And Holding" on Ichiban Records. Following the album, the group recorded a live CD with Billy Paul and Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes during their TSOP tour in the Spring/Summer of 1989.
In 1990 Cynthia Garrison replaced Victoria Wallace. Helen Scott, Valerie Holiday and Cynthia Garrison recorded 3 albums in the 1990's "Best and New Hits," "Out of the Past, Into the Future" and their new release "Greatest Hits."
The group still performs and currently holds the Guinness Book Of World Records for the Longest Running Female Vocal Trio.

Looking for lyrics?

Click on the links:
- Giving Up, Giving In - lyric
- The Runner - lyric
- Jump The Gun - lyric
- Starlight - lyric
- Set Me Free - lyric