The Sapphires was an American pop ensemble formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the early 1960s, consisting of Carol Jackson, George Garner, and Joe Livingston. Signed to Swan Records at the behest of producer Jerry Ross, their debut single “Where Is Johnny Now” (backed with “Your True Love”) was released in 1963 but failed to chart. Their breakthrough came with “Who Do You Love” (1964), which reached number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with vocal arrangements by Kenny Gamble. They released a full LP that same year before moving to ABC-Paramount in late 1964. The group returned to the charts in 1965 with “Gotta Have Your Love”, which reached number 33 on the R&B Singles chart and number 77 on the Hot 100, featuring backing vocals by Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson, and Melba Moore. Subsequent singles include “Evil One”, “Gonna Be a Big Thing”, and “Slow Fizz”, which became popular on the UK Northern soul scene after the group split up around late 1966. Carol Jackson died on November 1, 2010.
