Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Headquarters | Dania Beach , United States |
| Products | Soul music recordings |
Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose was a family-based American soul vocal ensemble originating from Dania Beach, Florida. Established in 1970, the lineup included siblings Carter, Eddie, and Rose Cornelius, with Billie Jo Cornelius joining the group in 1972. Cleveland E. Barrett, a childhood companion and founding member, tragically passed away in a car accident prior to the group's commercial breakthrough.
Group career
The ensemble initially took shape during the mid-1960s as the Cornelius Brothers, founded by Eddie and Carter Cornelius. After auditioning for producer Bob Archibald's label, they secured a contract. Rose Cornelius, who had appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1967 and toured with the Gospel Jazz Singers in 1970, later returned to Florida to become part of the group.
In 1971, the group achieved chart success with their single "Treat Her Like a Lady," which climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the Top 20 on the U.S. R&B chart. This track earned a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America on August 2, 1971.
Their next major hit came in 1972 with "Too Late to Turn Back Now," penned by Eddie Cornelius. The song peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 and No. 5 on the R&B chart and was also awarded a gold disc that August.
Though later singles did not replicate their earlier prominence, "Don't Ever Be Lonely" and "I'm Never Gonna Be Alone Anymore" both secured spots within the Billboard Top 40. Their last charting release was "Since I Found My Baby" in 1974 from their third album. All their recordings were produced by Bob Archibald at Miami’s Music Factory.
Break up and aftermath
The group dissolved in 1976 when Carter Cornelius embraced membership in a Black Hebrew sect based in Miami, adopting the name Prince Gideon Israel. Over the following fifteen years, he created music and videos for this community until his death from a heart attack on November 7, 1991.
Eddie Cornelius became an ordained pastor after experiencing born-again Christianity, continuing his involvement in singing, producing, and songwriting. In June 2020, he released a memoir entitled It's Not Too Late To Turn Back Now (Back To The Open Arms Of God).
On January 19, 2001, surviving members initiated a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Capitol Records titled Cornelius v. EMI Music, Inc. filed in Miami Dade Circuit Court; however, this case was dismissed without prejudice three years later due to inactivity.
Albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 200 | US R&B | ||
| July 1972 | Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose | 29 | 12 |
| December 1973 | Big Time Lover | — | 32 |
| March 1976 | Greatest Hits | — | 60 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US HOT | US R&B | US AC | AUS | |||
| 1971 | "Treat Her Like a Lady" | 3 | 20 | — | — | Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose |
| 1972 | "Too Late to Turn Back Now" | 2 | 5 | 6 | 30 | |
| "Don't Ever Be Lonely (A Poor Little Fool Like Me)" | 23 | 28 | 27 | — | ||
| "I'm Never Gonna Be Alone Anymore" | 37 | 43 | 10 | — | ||
| 1973 | "Let Me Down Easy" | 96 | — | — | — | |
| "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" | 104 | 79 | — | — | Big Time Lover | |
| 1974 | "Big Time Lover" | — | 88 | — | — | |
| "Since I Found My Baby" | — | 59 | — | — | Greatest Hits | |
| "Got to Testify (Love)"** | — | — | — | — | ||
- Note: The track "Got to Testify (Love)" achieved position No. 15 on the US Dance chart.