Chantels singer Arlene Smith passes away at 84

Arlene Smith, lead singer and co-writer of the Chantels' 1958 classic 'Maybe', died at 84 of a heart attack in a New York City hospital.

The Chantels broke barriers for Black female artists in the late 1950s, paving the way for later girl groups.

'Maybe' was a Top 20 hit, sold over 1 million copies, and was covered by Janis Joplin and the Three Degrees.

Smith and the Chantels were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.

After leaving the Chantels in 1959, Smith worked with producer Phil Spector and later pursued music education.