Originally formed as The Gypsies with three sisters – Betty, Ernestine and Shirley Pearce plus their friend Viola Billups, New York-based The Flirtations were originally brought to England by promoter Roy Tempest in December 1967 for a nationwide tour backed by Dagenham, east London outfit, The Trend.

Betty Pearce had departed before this tour commenced and the trio performed as The Fabulous Marvelettes. Despite the confusion and anger this caused, particularly from club owners who mistakenly believed they were getting the Motown superstars The Marvelettes, the tour was successful enough for the vocal trio to return to Britain in spring 1968 for a second tour, billed again as The Fabulous Marvelettes.

For this second tour, they were once again backed by The Trend, who comprised Norman Cummins (lead guitar/vocals), Pete Cole (bass/vocals), Bob Mather (sax), Cliff Reuter (keyboards) and Frankie Morgan (drums).

This isn’t a complete gig list for this tour

Tour dates:

8 March 1968 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire with The Upside Down World (Chester Chronicle)

11 March 1968 – Rawmarsh Baths, Rotherham, South Yorkshire with The Original Drifters backed by The London All-Stars (South Yorkshire and Rotherham Advertiser)

20 March 1968 – Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with The Original Drifters backed by The London All-Stars (Sheffield Star)

After this tour, the trio relocated to Britain and reverted to their original name, The Flirtations, recording prolifically in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

As The Trend was working with other soul artists from mid-1968 onwards, it’s not clear who the backing band was on the gigs below and we’d welcome any further information.

20 April 1968 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham with The Staxmen and King Kat Knyte (Nottingham Evening Post)

11 May 1968 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham with Clyde McPhatter, The Staxmen and Ways and Means (Nottingham Evening Post)

21 June 1968 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with Chicago Setback and Granny’s Intentions (Hemel Hempstead Evening Post)

12 July 1968 – Marvifab Mayfair, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear with Urge, Coloured Rain and Traine & Mystics (Sunday Sun)

The Widnes Weekly News, 19 July 1968, page 22, has a picture and a spread on the trio

27 July 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

15 August 1968 – Royal Pier Pavilion, Southampton, Hants (Southern Daily Echo)

22 August 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Bristol (Bristol Evening Post)

23 August 1968 – Locarno, Derby (Derby Evening Telegraph)

24 August 1968 – Imperial, Nelson, Lancashire with Doctor Marigold’s Prescription, The Smythe Brothers, The Index Trend and Pancake Tuesday (Lancashire Telegraph)

29 August 1968 – Assembly Hall, Worthing, West Sussex (Worthing Herald)

The Derby Evening Telegraph, 31 August 1968, page 4, has a pic and spread on them

31 August 1968 – Civic Hall, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Clyde McPhatter (Luton Evening Post)

1 September 1968 – Giant Bank Holiday Rave All Nighter, Mojo Festival, Queen’s Hall, Leeds, West Yorkshire with Ben E King and Clyde McPhatter, The Fantastics, Tim Rose and The Time Box (Huddersfield Daily Examiner)

12 September 1968 – Cedar Club, Birmingham with Soul Show & The Phoenix City Truth (Birmingham Evening Mail)

12 September 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Bristol (Bristol Evening Post)

7 October 1968 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, Surrey (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)

13 October 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

14 October 1968 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with The Soul Show (backing group), The Third Stone from the Sun (Birmingham Evening Mail)

18 October 1968 – Odeon Taunton, Taunton, Somerset with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich, About Face, Dr Marigold’s Prescription, Justins Timepiece, The Santianos and The Vertical Movement (Western Daily Press)

2 November 1968 – Wakefield Theatre Club, Wakefield, West Yorkshire with Johnnie Ray, Audrey Jeans and Jackie Farn (Huddersfield Daily Examiner)

11 November 1968 – Cragburn Ballroom, Cragburn, Scotland with Marmalade and The Verge (Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette)

27-28 December 1968 – Annabel, Sunderland (Newcastle Evening Chronicle)

29 December 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

11 January 1969 – Music Hall, Shrewsbury, Shropshire with Jasson Hertz and Shady Lane (North Shropshire Journal)

1 February 1969 – Market Hall, Haverfordwest, west Wales with Nightime Pipeline and Night Before (Pembroke & West Wales Guardian)

8 February 1969 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire with The Jaytree Organisation (Evening Sentinel)

29 March 1969 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with Blue Ulysses and Sleepy Talk (Eastern Evening News)

5 April 1969 – Town House, Wellington, Shropshire with Seeburg Discotheque (North Shropshire Journal)

12 April 1969 – New Century Hall, Manchester with The Government, Pete Doyle, Rag Dolls and Peter Lee (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)

The Runcorn Weekly News, 17 April 1969, page 12, has a story on the band

10 May 1969 – Music Hall, Shrewsbury, Shropshire with The Swing Ensemble (North Shropshire Journal)

The Grimsby Evening Telegraph 24 May 1969, page 6, has a pic and story on the trio

We’d like to hear from anyone who can provide more information in the comments section below