Background
Goodman was born in New Orleans.
Goodman was born in New Orleans.
Later in her career, she had a resurgence with the disco hit, "Shame, Shame, Shame" in the 1970s. After singing in church choirs, she recorded her first demo with a group of friends in 1950. As "", they recorded their debut single "I’m Gone", produced by Cosimo Matassa, which reached #2 on the Billboard Rhythm & Blues charts in 1952.
The record contrasted Goodman’s soprano with Leonard"s baritone, in a way in which subsequent songwriters have suggested was influential on the development of ska and reggae.
In their early songs, they pretended as if they were sweethearts and were dubbed "the Sweethearts of the Blues". However, they changed style in 1956 and recorded "Let the Good Times Roll", which became their biggest hit single reaching #1 on the United States Rhythm & Blues chart and #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
lieutenant sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Although a follow-up single, "I Feel Good" (not to be confused with their 1955 single "Feel So Good"), also made the charts, the duo’s later releases were less successful, and the pair moved to the Warwick label in 1959.
Goodman and Leonard split up in 1963.
Leonard made some subsequent solo records with little success. In the mid 1960s, Goodman moved to California, where she worked as a session singer on records by Sonny and Cher, Doctor John and others, and also formed a duo for a time with Jessie Hill. She sang backing vocals on The Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main Street album, but then briefly retired from the music industry.
On October 15, 1971, were reunited for one show only at the Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The playbill included musicians of the early rock era, including Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and Bobby Rydell. Credited to Shirley & Company, the record became an international popular hit, reaching #12 on the Billboard chart and presaging the disco boom.
On May 17, 1974, reunited once again to perform "Let the Good Times Roll" on a special "oldies" edition of the National Broadcasting Company musical series The Midnight Special. After a few further recordings and tours, Goodman finally retired from the music industry after returning to New Orleans in the late 1970s.
In 1976, Leonard Lee, who had become a social worker, died of a heart attack, aged 40.
After suffering a stroke in 1994, she moved to California, and died on July 5, 2005, in Los Los Angeles She was buried in New Orleans (a month and a half before Hurricane Katrina).