RIP, FAYETTE PINKNEY (THE THREE DEGREES)-NOTHING LASTS FOREVER

NOTHING LASTS FOREVER, a beautiful song from her solo LP : One Degree (Chopper Records, 1979)
"In my heart tears are streaming. Fayette, along with Valerie and Sheila, were my fave youth heroes. During the years I came to discover that Fayette was like an angel who laid down her wings when she came to earth. She could speak and write with words that represented a level of completeness and agape love. Now she has gone back to Heaven where she is whole again, as the Lord meant it to be, before the Fall. She is free of pain and in the Kingdom she will shine and sing praises forever. F.R.P., classy friend to so many, R.I.P."
Marijke [from Holland]
BIOGRAPHY:
Fayette Pinkney (January 10, 1948 - June 27, 2009) was an African American singer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was one of the original members of the female soul group THE THREE DEGREES.
In the early 1960s, Pinkney was one of three young teenagers brought together by manager Richard Barrett to form The Three Degrees. The group had a cameo in the classic 1971 movie The French Connection starring Gene Hackman where you can see Fayette. Around 1976, Pinkney left the group and was replaced by returning member Helen Scott.
Fayette subsequently earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Temple University and a master's degree from Lincoln University in 1984.
She worked as a counselor and vocal coach. In addition to singing with her church's inspirational choir, she traveled with a group called the Intermezzo Choir Ministry.
The Three Degrees, together with former member Fayette Pinkney, received various honors during 2007 and 2008, through BEMA and the City of Philadelphia, for their contribution to music over five decades. The four ladies appeared together to receive these awards, creating, for the first time ever, The Four Degrees.
Fayette died on Saturday, June 27, 2009. She had been sick for two weeks beforehand, and in the hospital.