The Exciters were originally a quartet of seventeen year olds who were high school classmates in Queens, New York. Then called the Masterettes, the group consisted of Brenda Reid on lead, Sylvia Williams, Lillian Walker, and Carol Johnson. The group signed with United Artists Records in 1962 and by December 1st had entered the Billboard charts with "Tell Him," which made it all the way to number four Pop on January 26, 1963, and number five R&B. Reid's no-nonsense, tough girl vocal, the group's vocal blend, and a sure fire Bert Burns composition made "Tell Him" a whole new dimension in girl group rock and roll.