After losing her brother in 1968, Dr. Mable John was not ready to put her heart fully into her music. It wasn't until Ray Charles enlisted her to help him find someone to join the Raelettes did she truly get back into music. Charles later got the idea that, instead of trying to find someone else, John should join him and the Raelettes.
John was recruited to help lead the Raelettes both on stage and with other behind the scenes issues, such as contracts.
Knowing she was a good leader, Charles later asked John to be his eyes and work out issues that she saw happening in general. John then told him that she would not tolerate any slip-ups from the band especially if they showed up drunk or high on drugs. She explains that she didn't want to lose her own identity through the band's mistakes. Charles agreed, not wanting her to change who she was, but rather wanting her to bring her identity into the band.