Formed in 1970 in Dania Beach, Florida, Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose was a soul and pop group originally composed of siblings Carter, Eddie, and Rose Cornelius. The brothers handled a majority of the songwriting and vocals while Rose, who had previously performed with the Gospel Jazz Singers, provided vocals. Their first single, 1971’s “Treat Her Like a Lady”, was a great success, reaching Number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. During the recording of their debut album, their sister Billie Joe jointed the group, making them a quartet. Their single “Too Late to Turn Back Now” (1972) was released, climbing to Number 2 on the chart. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1972 and featured the previous two singles as well as the Top 40 hits “Don’t Ever Be Lonely (A Poor Little Fool Like Me)” and “I’m Never Gonna Be Alone Anymore”. In 1973, they released their second album, Big Time Lover, which included the singles “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” and the title track. The album climbed into the Top 40 on Billboard’s R&B chart but was not nearly as successful as their debut. The group released two further singles in 1974 before splitting up. Following their split, their label issued Greatest Hits in 1976. Carter Cornelius died of a heart attack on November 7, 1991.
