Arlene Smith, Founder of The Chantels, Dies at 84

Arlene Smith, the original lead singer and co‑founder of the 1950s R&B girl group The Chantels, died at age 84 of natural causes at a rehabilitation center in New York City on July 29. Smith rose to fame when the five‑member quintet recorded the 1957 hit “Maybe,” which reached No. 15 on the pop chart and No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart. The group, formed from the Saint Anthony of Padua choir in the Bronx, auditioned at Carnegie Hall at age 12 and were signed by End Records, later appearing on American Bandstand and scoring additional chart entries.

After The Chantels disbanded, Smith pursued a solo career, later leading a new version of the group in the 1970s, and eventually retired from music to teach elementary school in the Bronx. She never married and left no children. Her death marks the passing of a pioneering figure in early female R&B vocal groups.