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The Ritchie Family was the name of an American vocal group, based in Philadelphia, who achieved several hits during the 1970s disco era.
The three original members were not related; the group was created by Jacques Morali who soon after also created Village People. The group took its name from record producer Ritchie Rome, and originally consisted of singers Cheryl Jacks, Cassandra Wooten, and Gwen Oliver.
Their first hit single, a reworking of the 1930s song "Brazil" reached the Top 20 in the United States in 1975, and the album, also titled Brazil, sold well. The following year they released the album Arabian Nights, and with it the single "The Best Disco In Town". The song was essentially a medley of recent disco songs linked together with an original chorus and it became a worldwide hit.
Their follow up albums Life is Music, which followed a 1930s theme, and African Queens were only mediocre successes. Each of these four albums was a concept album featuring songs of a similar theme as suggested by each album title. Each album also featured a long medley, usually running from 15 to 20 minutes.
By 1978 the three members had been replaced by Jaqui Smith, Dodie Draher and Vera Brown. Their 1978 album American Generation was a slight departure from disco and more in the style of europop, although one of the singles from it was called "I Feel Disco Good." The group abandoned the exotic and highly kitsch costumes of their earlier incarnation in favour of a more contemporary, sexually provocative style. This album was followed by a self titled album, and the hit "Put Your Feet To The Beat."
The Ritchie Family next recorded the Give Me A Break LP which contained the hits "Give Me A Break" and "Never Be Able to Set You Free." Continuing with album releases, the next was a strange partnership with Jaques Fred Petrus and Mauro Malavasi, the pair behind Change. The album they recorded was I'll Do My Best For You Baby; following that was All Night All Right.
In 1980 they joined Village People for the movie Can't Stop the Music. The film was a resounding failure and still appears on many critics' "worst ever" lists; however the soundtrack album sold well in some parts of the world. By this time disco music was losing its popularity.
After deciding to split, after group owner Jaques Morali discovered he had AIDS, the group continued as Vera Brown and the Rich Girls for one song called "Too Much Too Fast" that crashed completely. Vera Brown released one CD called "That's Just The Way It Is" under the name Veronica in 1991. Since then she has reformed The Ritchie Family, with Dodie Draher and Jacqui Lee-Smith, but without further releases.
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