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Former 'Crystals' Lead Singer Releases Solo Album

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La La Brooks is out with her first solo album, "All or Nothing," 50 years after The Crystals. (Jacob Blinkenstaff)
La La Brooks is out with her first solo album, "All or Nothing," 50 years after The Crystals. (Jacob Blinkenstaff)

Delores "La La" Brooks was just 13 when she joined the girl group "The Crystals." But she ended up singing the lead on signature hits such as "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me."

The Crystals, from left to right; Barbara, Dee Dee, Fran and La La, at London Airport for their first visit to the country, Feb. 7, 1964, hot on the heels of their successful singles 'Then He Kissed Me' and 'Da Doo Ron Ron.' (Keystone/Getty Images)
The Crystals, from left to right; Barbara, Dee Dee, Fran and La La, Feb. 7, 1964. (Keystone/Getty Images)

Now, 50 years after the Crystals, she joins Here & Now's Robin Young to talk about her first solo album, "All or Nothing."

“I was so young, 13 years old," Brooks says. "You really don’t think of anything, but if you could sing, just being on stage. You’re not thinking of 'oh I wanna do the lead vocals,' or 'I wanna do background.'"

After leaving the Crystals, Brooks took that love of the stage further and performed on Broadway in the musicals "Hair" and "Two Gentlemen of Verona."

She says one of her goals for the solo album was to find that little girl's voice from the Crystals.

“Doing this album now, after so many years without the Crystals, and still have that sort of sound that people recognize – that’s what I was hoping for in my vocal chords,” Brooks said.

Guest

This segment aired on December 17, 2013.

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