The Barrett Sisters

Delois Barrett Campbell, Billie Barrett Greenbey and Rodessa Barrett Porter are better known as The Barrett Sisters of Chicago IL world renowned gospel trio. They have been called "The Sweet Sisters of Zion" The sisters are three surviving children born to Mississippi natives Lonnie and Suzie Barrett. One brother and three of their sisters died of tuberculosis. The sisters believe the death of their siblings drew them into a closer relationship with God.

The sisters began singing at Morning Star Baptist Church in Chicago. Delois 10, Billie 8, and Rodessa 6. Their father was a deacon and their mother was a chorister. Delois, a mezzo-soprano had aspirations of becoming an opera singer but her father did not want her to leave Chicago. Raised in a devoutly religious family she and her siblings were not allowed to listen to blues or jazz as their parents felt secular music had no place in the life of a saved person. It is clear that they had some exposure to these musical genres. The sisters candidly admit when their parents were not home they listened to a little jazz and pop and were were influenced by the Andrew Sisters becoming captivated by their harmony and musical arrangements. The Barrett Sisters were never considered a secular group although they do have some contemporary non gospel songs in their repertoire.

Gospel music was not always the lucrative venture it is today. Many of their colleagues, for example Ruth Lee Jones aka Dinah Washington,crossed over to sing blues in order to enjoy a better lifestyle. Ms Washington attempted to persuade Delois to sing the blues as well but she declined as she knew it would be upsetting and heartbreaking for her parents.

Delois performed in school plays and continued to sing in churches. While attending Englewood High School in her senior year Delois was recruited by Roberta Martin leader of renowned gospel group The Roberta Martin Singers. Delois sang lead on many of their songs. Gospel great Marian Williams was quoted as saying, “Delois could make a song sound so sweet you’d want to eat it.” Delois sang and traveled with the group for 19 years and placed her career on hold start her family.

For a time the sisters Delois and Billie sang with a cousin Johnnie Mae Hudson and were known as the Barrett-Hudson Singers. The cousin passed away and Rodessa joined the group and they began performing as The Barrett Sisters around 1963. They had quite a reputation throughout Chicago and were known as "church wreckers" singing powerfully moving songs in packed churches. After making their first recording with Savoy Records their career was fast tracked. They were singing at churches and venues across the nation.

Billie Greenbey has an incredible range able to sing soprano, alto and tenor. She maybe the most underrated of the three sisters. She studied at the American Music Conservatory and became a predominant church soloist in her own right.

Rodessa Porter a powerful soprano with astronomical range is a pianist and taught music in the public school system. She wrote music and directed choirs in Gary Indiana.

Delois never had any formal training. It has been said that The Barrett Sister can sit on a curb and sing the roof off a skyscraper.

Delois has been singing for over seventy years. The trio’s career has spanned over five decades. They were featured in George Neirenberg’s 1982 documentary “Say Amen Somebody. The movie chronicled the life of Gospel Legend Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith and father and mother of Gospel Music Professor Thomas A Dorsey and Miss Sallie Martin. This award winning project exposed The Barrett sisters to a much wider audience and catapulted them arguably into household names.

They have performed internationally in such places as Austria Switzerland, Germany, Australia The Fiji Islands, England as well as North and South Africa just to name a few. They have played Carnegie Hall, The Ford Theater,The Montreux and New Orleans Jazz Festivals, Harvard University and numerous other venues to include day time and late night talk shows. They have shown much benevolence giving their time and talent to numerous not for profit organizations.

The Barrett Sisters have received countless awards including a Stellar Award. They were the first gospel group to receive a Star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Their names were entered into the Smithsonian Institution's Hall of Fame. In 2007 the Barrett Sisters received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in Music from the Chicago Theological Seminary.