Peaches & Herb

Peaches & Herb, an American vocal duo, was founded in 1966 with Herb Fame as a constant member. Herb Fame, born Herbert Feemster on October 1, 1941, in Anacostia, Washington, D.C., developed his vocal talents in local church groups. After high school, he worked at a record store where he met producer Van McCoy. McCoy, along with A&R executive Dave Kapralik, signed Fame to Columbia subsidiary Date Records. The original ‘Peaches’ was Francine Edna Hurd Barker, born April 28, 1947, who lent her nickname to the duo. Their initial single, “We’re in This Thing Together,” gained traction when its B-side, “Let’s Fall in Love,” became a hit in December 1966. This success led to a string of popular singles and albums over the next two years, including “Close Your Eyes,” “For Your Love,” and “Love Is Strange.” Despite their burgeoning success and an image as the ‘Sweethearts of Soul,’ Barker reduced her involvement due to the demanding touring schedule.

Fame temporarily retired the act in 1970 to join the metropolitan police department in Washington, D.C. He re-entered the music industry in 1976, initiating a search for a new ‘Peaches.’ Van McCoy suggested Linda Greene, who became the third ‘Peaches’ and was part of the duo’s most commercially successful period. Their 1977 album, ‘Peaches & Herb,’ released by MCA Records and produced by Van McCoy, generated the hit “We’re Still Together.” The duo later signed with MVP/Polydor and released the gold-certified album ‘2 Hot.’ This album featured the gold-selling single “Shake Your Groove Thing,” which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1979. The follow-up single, “Reunited,” achieved triple platinum status, topping the Hot 100, the Billboard R&B chart, and Canadian charts, and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Song of the Year in 1980. Further hits with Polydor included “I Pledge My Love.” Fame later returned to law enforcement in 1986, joining the U.S. Marshals Service as a deputized court security officer.

Throughout their career, the *Peaches & Herb* brand has seen seven different women fill the role of “Peaches.” Following Linda Greene’s retirement, Patrice Hawthorne joined in 1990, appearing in concerts but not releasing new recordings. In 2001, Fame and Greene successfully pursued a lawsuit against MVP Records for unpaid royalties, reaffirming their artists’ rights. Miriamm, the fifth ‘Peaches,’ joined in 2002 and toured with Herb, performing alongside artists like Aretha Franklin and Gloria Gaynor. Wanda Makle later performed with Fame, and in 2009, Meritxell Negre, the first non-black ‘Peaches,’ recorded the album ‘Colors of Love’ with Fame. Fame continues to tour with Wanda Tolson as the current ‘Peaches,’ maintaining the legacy of the duo’s enduring soul, R&B, and pop sound.