The Flirtations, originally known as The Gypsies, were an American R&B musical group formed in 1962 in New York City. The original lineup included Lestine Johnson and sisters Ernestine Pearce, Shirley Pearce, and Betty Pearce from South Carolina. In 1964, they signed to Old Town Records and released their debut single "Hey There, Hey There". Their next release, "Jerk It", reached Number 111 on the pop charts and Number 33 on the R&B charts in 1965. After Lestine Johnson's departure and Viola Billups' addition, the group renamed themselves The Flirtations and moved to Festival Records. In 1968, they relocated to England, where they signed with Parrot label and supported Tom Jones on his European tour. Their breakthrough came with "Nothing But a Heartache", produced by Wayne Bickerton and released in late 1968. The song reached the top of the "Bubbling Under" list in December 1968 and became their signature recording, peaking at Number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1969. Following this success, they embarked on an 18-date UK tour with Stevie Wonder and The Foundations in March 1969. Throughout the 1970s, The Flirtations released material on various labels, including Polydor and RCA. They continued to perform and record into the 1980s, releasing Hi-NRG tracks such as "Earthquake" (1983) and "Back On My Feet Again" (1989). The group's music gained renewed interest in the disco and Northern soul circuits of various countries.
