Post by Rob Durkee on Sept 10, 2012 21:57:10 GMT -5
By ROCKIN' ROBIN
PHOENIX, ARIZONA (RTDP) 9/10/12 -- Dorothy McGuire Williamson, who was a third of the family singing trio the McGuire Sisters, died Friday (September 7, 2012) at her son's home in Paradise Valley, a suburb of Phoenix. She was 84. According to Karen Williamson, her daughter in law, and the Associated Press, McGuire Williamson had been suffering from Parkinson's disease and dementia.
The McGuire Sisters performed for five Presidents (from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush) and also for Queen Elizabeth II. They had a dozen top hits from 1954 to 1961. Their most memorable hits were two million sellers, the #2-peaking "Sincerely" in 1955 and the #7 "Sugartime" in 1957.
Christine, Dorothy and Phyllis McGuire were born in Middletown, Ohio, and grew up in Miamisburg. They'd been singing together for 17 years when they signed with Coral Records in 1952. That was also the year they got their first big exposure via the "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" TV show. According to Wikipedia, they were regulars on TV shows hosted by Ed Sullivan, Dean Martin, Danny Kaye, Milton Berle, Andy Williams, Perry Como and Red Skelton.
The McGuire Sisters performed together for the last time on Sullivan's show in 1968 though they managed a comeback performance in 2004 on the PBS show "Magic Moments - Best of 50's Pop." They were famous not only for their vocals but also their similar hairdos and same costumes.
The McGuire Sisters were often compared to another sister group, the Andrew Sisters. But, as Maxene Andrews would point out, "The McGuire Sisters were fine once they stopped imitating the Andrews Sisters." The McGuire Sisters are in the National Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
The surviving members of the group, Christine, who's 86, and Phyllis, who's 81, both live in Las Vegas.
The McGuire Sisters were among the white acts who from roughly 1954 to 1957 would put out so-called cover records that were meant to cover and keep an African-American act from landing the hit song. Their first top 40 hit, the #5 peaking "Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight" was a cover record where the Spaniels were limited to success with the song on the R&B charts. Also, they covered Jesse Belvin's "Goodnight My Love" in 1956.
Likewise, "Sincerely" was released as a cover record to keep the Moonglows from crossing over to the pop chart. The Moonglows would prevail in the long run, however. When the Drake-Chenault produced "History Of Rock And Roll" 52-hour series aired in the late 1970's, the first song played was the Moonglows' version of "Sincerely."
The McGuire Sisters were hardly alone when it came to mid-50's white acts releasing cover records. Among the others were the Crew Cuts, the Diamonds, Gale Storm, the Fontane Sisters, Georgia Gibbs, Bill Haley and his Comets and Pat Boone. A monster #1 ballad from 1957 pretty much put a stop to cover records. Teresa Brewer released the song as a single but Sam Cooke's version of "You Send Me" become a #1 pop and R&B hit.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA (RTDP) 9/10/12 -- Dorothy McGuire Williamson, who was a third of the family singing trio the McGuire Sisters, died Friday (September 7, 2012) at her son's home in Paradise Valley, a suburb of Phoenix. She was 84. According to Karen Williamson, her daughter in law, and the Associated Press, McGuire Williamson had been suffering from Parkinson's disease and dementia.
The McGuire Sisters performed for five Presidents (from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush) and also for Queen Elizabeth II. They had a dozen top hits from 1954 to 1961. Their most memorable hits were two million sellers, the #2-peaking "Sincerely" in 1955 and the #7 "Sugartime" in 1957.
Christine, Dorothy and Phyllis McGuire were born in Middletown, Ohio, and grew up in Miamisburg. They'd been singing together for 17 years when they signed with Coral Records in 1952. That was also the year they got their first big exposure via the "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" TV show. According to Wikipedia, they were regulars on TV shows hosted by Ed Sullivan, Dean Martin, Danny Kaye, Milton Berle, Andy Williams, Perry Como and Red Skelton.
The McGuire Sisters performed together for the last time on Sullivan's show in 1968 though they managed a comeback performance in 2004 on the PBS show "Magic Moments - Best of 50's Pop." They were famous not only for their vocals but also their similar hairdos and same costumes.
The McGuire Sisters were often compared to another sister group, the Andrew Sisters. But, as Maxene Andrews would point out, "The McGuire Sisters were fine once they stopped imitating the Andrews Sisters." The McGuire Sisters are in the National Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
The surviving members of the group, Christine, who's 86, and Phyllis, who's 81, both live in Las Vegas.
The McGuire Sisters were among the white acts who from roughly 1954 to 1957 would put out so-called cover records that were meant to cover and keep an African-American act from landing the hit song. Their first top 40 hit, the #5 peaking "Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight" was a cover record where the Spaniels were limited to success with the song on the R&B charts. Also, they covered Jesse Belvin's "Goodnight My Love" in 1956.
Likewise, "Sincerely" was released as a cover record to keep the Moonglows from crossing over to the pop chart. The Moonglows would prevail in the long run, however. When the Drake-Chenault produced "History Of Rock And Roll" 52-hour series aired in the late 1970's, the first song played was the Moonglows' version of "Sincerely."
The McGuire Sisters were hardly alone when it came to mid-50's white acts releasing cover records. Among the others were the Crew Cuts, the Diamonds, Gale Storm, the Fontane Sisters, Georgia Gibbs, Bill Haley and his Comets and Pat Boone. A monster #1 ballad from 1957 pretty much put a stop to cover records. Teresa Brewer released the song as a single but Sam Cooke's version of "You Send Me" become a #1 pop and R&B hit.