Singer Barbara Alston dead at 74

The Crystals singer Barbara Alston has died at the age of 74.
The singer passed away of complications from the flu on 16 February (18).
Alston formed the group with Mary Thomas, Dolores ‘Dee Dee’ Kenniebrew, Myrna Giraud, and Patricia ‘Patsy’ Wright in 1961, and they were subsequently signed to Phil Spector’s Philles Records label.
They went on to release several hit songs, including There’s No Other Like My Baby, Uptown, Da Doo Ron Ron, and Then He Kissed Me.
Following their initial success, Spector renamed Darlene Love’s band the Blossoms The Crystals. The original group later reformed, but Alston handed over lead vocals to Dolores ‘LaLa’ Brooks. The disbanded in 1967 but reunited in 1971.
“She loved The Crystals,” Alston’s daughter Donielle Prophete tells BBC News. “She always talked about singing with them, the work they created together. She loved the sisterhood part of it, the travelling.”