ABSTRACT
The Crystals emerged in 1961, the creation of former big band musician-turned-manager Benny Wells, who had handpicked the group’s members from girls he knew in Brooklyn (of these, Barbara Alston was his niece and Dee Dee Kennibrew was the daughter of a friend). While the group was rehearsing in the Manhattan publishing offices of Hill and Range, novice record producer Phil Spector overheard them and offered them a recording deal with his new label Philles (formed in partnership with Lester Sill).
