An R&B female vocal group from Chicago, Illinois, USA, the members were Betty Caldwell (lead), Gwen Hester, Elaine Sims and Dee Dee Bryant. Coffee, who appeared at the tail-end of the soul era, were a minor Chicago group that managed to produced some memorable work before being caught up in the disco wave. After recording a delightful local hit for producer Clarence Johnson, ‘Your Love Ain’t As Good As Mine’, in 1977, Caldwell left, and lead vocals were taken over by Hester. The group thereafter adapted to the demands of the growing disco movement and opted to record in a disco style. Their first album, Slippin’ And Dippin’, featured an updating of the Lovelites’ ‘How Can I Tell My Mom And Dad’, and the record enjoyed good airplay. A second album, recorded in New Jersey by producer Tony Valor, failed to find a market and Coffee soon disappeared.
