Boswell Sisters, Andrew Sisters, Dining Sisters and what else?

[subject101]

I'm a big fan of female closed harmony groups from the 30s and 40s era. My favourite sets are the Boswell Sisters, Andrew Sisters and Dining Sisters but what else am I missing? (no 50s and 60s era and no male groups)

 

[LizzieMaine]

The Brox Sisters -- very popular in the late twenties, progenitors of the Boswell sound.

The Pickens Sisters -- very much in the same mold as the Boswells. Jane Pickens went on to a solo career that extended into the fifties.

The Stewart Sisters -- worked for several years in the mid thirties with Rudy Vallee.

The Debutantes -- featured with Ted Fio Rito in the mid-thirties. More pop than jazz, and especially good on novelties.

The King Sisters -- featured with Horace Heidt, and later Alvino Rey, another novelty-oriented trio.

 

[Fletch]

Flashes in the pan included:

Bennett Sisters - with Clyde McCoy, mid 30s (Maxine became Mrs. McCoy)
Barry Sisters - 2 groups by this name, one doing mostly Jewish music
Frazee Sisters - duet in vaudeville and film; one record with Ina Ray Hutton

Not actually sisters:

3 X Sisters - CBS act of the early 30s; one record with Isham Jones
3 Rhythm Sisters - with Ambrose Orch., mid 30s

Not even female:

Sisters of the Skillet - actually 2 fat guys; vaudeville and (late '30s) short films

 

[subject101]

Hey, thanks LizzieMaine Nice list.

 

[subject101]

Hey fletch, thanks for your input

Not actually sisters:

3 X Sisters - CBS act of the early 30s; one record with Isham Jones
3 Rhythm Sisters - with Ambrose Orch., mid 30s

Well, as far as I know some members of these groups were not real sisters I think there were a bunch of them working for the U.S.O service during wwII.

 

[Fletch]

The USO needed fake sister acts? lol

 

[dhermann1]

Moving a little later, the Maguire Sisters were big in the 50's. "Bum bum bum bum, Bum bum bum bum, Bum bum bum bum, Bum . . . Mister Sandmannnnnnn . . . '
And the Clooney Sisters performed for a while together before Rosemary had her solo career.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Two of the Three X's were actual sisters, and brought in a ringer to make up the trio. They were actually Broadway contemporaries of the Broxes, under the billing "The Hamilton Sisters and Fordyce." The "X" gimmick was a radio thing, along the same line as the Silver Masked Tenor, the Street Singer, and other secret-identity personalities of the time.

If actual sisterhood isn't a requirement, how about The Three Waring Girls, none of whom were any relation to Fred or Tom.

 

[Fletch]

Moving a little later, the Maguire Sisters were big in the 50's. "Bum bum bum bum, Bum bum bum bum, Bum bum bum bum, Bum . . ."

Explains how one of 'em got involved with Sam Giancana. lol

 

[Kahuna]

There's a number of contemporary acts that recreate the sound of the vintage sister acts:

Girls From Mars
The Stolen Sweets
Pfister Sisters
Sister Swing
Sweet Pepprika

Google their names for samples of their music.

 

[vitanola]

What about the Duncan Sisters?

Or (shudder!) The Cherry Sisters.

 

[bunnyb.gal]

There's a number of contemporary acts that recreate the sound of the vintage sister acts:

Girls From Mars
The Stolen Sweets
Pfister Sisters
Sister Swing
Sweet Pepprika

Google their names for samples of their music.

How about the Puppini Sisters?

 

[Kahuna]

How about the Puppini Sisters?

Good call. I knew I was leaving someone out.

 

[Chas]

The McKinney Sisters recorded a number of sides with Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys. The complete sides are on a cd entitled "The Tiffany Transcriptions, Vol. 10"; I'm pretty sure it's out of print but worth it when found.[video=youtube;jm7MDeMFXBc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm7MDeMFXBc[/video]

 

[subject101]

Thanks for all the suggestions I liked a lot The Pickens Sisters. My favourite contemporary groups are the Puppini Sisters and Sister Swing.

 

[dhermann1]

Not to be mean (heh heh) but I saw the Maguire Sisters on one of those PBS Oldies shows recently, and they looked like Egyptian mummies that had been dug up. Cosmetic surgery gone horribly wrong. They sounded OK, tho.

 

[Wally_Hood]

Fred Allen featured the DeMarco Sisters on his program. I think there were five, but don't quote me.

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

From 1947, The Raye Sisters, with Vido Musso (with a significant portion of Stan Kenton's orch):

[video=youtube;7e9wR-Ryb3s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e9wR-Ryb3s[/video]

- CH

 

[Heather]

Not to be mean (heh heh) but I saw the Maguire Sisters on one of those PBS Oldies shows recently, and they looked like Egyptian mummies that had been dug up. Cosmetic surgery gone horribly wrong. They sounded OK, tho.

Omg, I saw that too! It was frightening and a little sad...

 

[Kahuna]

Just remembered another sister group, this one is way outside the norm. The DeZurik Sisters, also known as the Cackle Sisters made a career out of yodeling like chickens. If you can narrow your niche enough there's not much competition.[video=youtube;51UXGg9raGU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51UXGg9raGU[/video]