At age 15, Minnie sang lead vocals for the Chicago-based girl group The Gems.
Her early affiliation with the Chicago-based Chess Records gave her the opportunity to sing backing vocals for various established artists such as Etta James, Fontella Bass, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, and Muddy Waters.
While at Chess, Riperton also sang lead for the psychedelic soul band Rotary Connection from 1967 to 1971.
All of it - The Gems 1964
