Nadine Felder

Nadine sang solos at William Penn High School and her best friend always made her sing for her friends, but Felder didn’t consider or aspire to be a professional singer. She grew up as a casual singer who idolized Diana Ross’ voice and was a fan of the Motown big-shots, such as Stevie Wonder, Smokie Robinson and Martha and the Vandellas. It was Martha and the Vandellas’ song Come and Get These Memories that 15-year-old Felder sung in Fairmount Park and won a contest. Soon she started singing small shows with a band and by the time she graduated high school, she caught the attention of Jimmy Bishop, the program director of WDAS radio in Philadelphia, and Bishop decided to sign her and make a girl group around Felder. Gwendolyn Wesley, Cassandra Ann Wooten and Jean Davis Sanders had started their own singing group called the Yum-Yums. Bishop added Felder and for a short period the group was called Sugar and Spice, but later Bishop decided on the name Honey and the Bees.