l to r: eddie, sister rose, billie jo and carter
Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose comprised of:
Edward Cornelius (b. 1943, Dania Beach, Florida, U.S.A.)
Carter Cornelius (5th October 1948, Dania Beach, Florida, U.S.A. d. Thursday 7th November 1991)
Rose Cornelius
and later
Billie Jo Cornelius
The Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose were an R & B family group from Dania Beach, Florida, U.S.A.
The original group comprised of Eddie (who wrote most of the songs), Carter, and Rose, who formed Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose in 1970.
The Miami based group offered a counterpoint, musically, to the deeper Soul sound with which the area had been previously known for.
Rose Cornelius had been performing with a group called the Gospel Jazz Singers.
Her mother asked her to join the Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose ensemble at the time.
She had appeared on the Ed Sullivan show in June 1967, and performed in Las Vegas before joining her brothers.
The group first recorded as the Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose in 1971.
They had immediate success with a million-seller, 'Treat Her Like A Lady', a U.S. R & B Top 20 and pop number 3 hit.
The next year they added a second sister, Billie Jo, to their ranks and achieved their biggest hit, 'Too Late To Turn Back Now' (U.S. R & B number 5 and pop number 2).
The song also sold over one million copies, and was awared a gold disc in August 1972.
Subsequent releases fared less well, however, were well received by fans, although two releases, 'Don't Ever Be Lonely' and 'I'm Never Gonna Be Alone Anymore' reached the Billboard Top 40.
Their last chart record was the minor-placed R & B hit 'Since I Found My Baby' in 1974.
Their records were all produced by Bob Archibald at the Music Factory in Miami, Florida.
The group broke up in 1976, when Carter went into seclusion with Yahweh Ben Yahweh, founder of the Miami religious sect the Nation of Yahweh, whose followers adopt the surname Israel.
He later built a recording studio (Hangar 18) where he wrote, recorded and mixed the sect's music and videos, and he was working on tracks at the time of his death from a heart attack, according to his sister, Billie Bain, of Dania Beach.
love train (hangar 18 records 1988) / smooth sailing (hangar 18 records 1990)
Prince Gideon Israel wrote, recorded and mixed the Nation of Yahweh's music and videos for the next 15 years, releasing two albums ('Love Train' in 1988 and 'Smooth Sailing' in 1990).
The latter included the popular 'Smooth Sailing' title track.
A few 12" singles followed ('Imagination', 'Love Train' b/w 'Use Me', 'Morning Star', 'He's Alright With Me', 'Son Of Man', and 'I'm So Lucky' b/w 'Word Up') , when he passed away on 7th November 1991, from a heart attack at the age of 43.
Eddie Cornelius later became a born-again Christian and an ordained pastor.
http://www.eddiecornelius.com/
Rose Cornelius is currently working and living in Port Saint Lucie, Florida.
Albums
Cornelius Brothers And Sister Rose (United Artists Records 1972)
Big Time Lover (United Artists Records 1973)
Got To Testify (Love) (United Artists Records 1974)
as Prince Gideon:
Love Train (Hangar 18 Records 1988)
Smooth Sailing (Hangar 18 Records 1990)
