The Shirelles were one of the earliest and certainly among the very best girl groups from the late Fifties and early Sixties. No less a rock and roll expert than John Lennon proclaimed the Shirelles his favorite group in the early days of Beatlemania. They were themselves fans of the Chantels (of "Maybe" fame), the Flamingos, and Little Anthony and the Imperials. The Shirelles have also been called the female counterparts of the Drifters. Both were vocal groups from the New York metropolitan area who had an R&B grounding and a fondness for Latin rhythms and string arrangements.