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Shirley Ellis was an American soul singer and songwriter of West Indian origins, born on January 19, 1929, in the Bronx, New York. She was married to Alphonso Elliston, the lead singer of a musical group. Ellis is best known for her novelty hits, including "The Nitty Gritty," which reached No. 8 on the US charts in 1963 and No. 19 in Canada; "The Name Game," which peaked at No. 3 in the US and No. 2 in Canada in 1964; and "The Clapping Song," which achieved No. 8 in the US, No. 10 in Canada, and No. 6 in the UK in 1965. "The Clapping Song" sold over 1 million copies and earned a gold disc. All of her solo hits were co-written by her and her manager, who was also her record producer and songwriting partner. Shirley Ellis retired from the record business in 1968 and passed away on October 5, 2005, in the Bronx, New York.

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