The andrew sisters biography

American vocal group

The Andrews Sisters were an American close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contraltoLaVerne Sophia Andrews (1911–1967), sopranoMaxene Anglyn Andrews (1916–1995), and mezzo-sopranoPatricia Marie Andrews (1918–2013). The sisters have sold an estimated 80 million records. Their 1941 hit "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" can be considered an early example of jump blues. Other songs closely associated with the Andrews Sisters include their first major hit, "Bei Mir Bist Du Schön (Means That You're Grand)" (1937), "Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out the Barrel)" (1939), "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar" (1940), "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (with Anyone Else but Me)" (1942), and "Rum and Coca-Cola" (1945), which helped introduce American audiences to calypso.

The Andrews Sisters' harmonies and songs are still influential today and have been copied and recorded by entertainers such as Patti Page, Bette Midler, Christina Aguilera, Pentatonix, and others. The group was among the inaugural inductees to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame upon its opening in 1998. Writing for Bloomberg, Mark Schoifet said the sisters became the most popular female vocal group of the first half of the 20th century. They are still widely acclaimed today for their famous close harmonies. They were inducted into the Minnesota Rock/Country Hall of Fame in May 2006.

Early life

The sisters were born to Olga Bergliot "Ollie" (née Sollie; 1886—1948) and Peter Andreas. Peter Andreas (later "Andrews"), (1890—1949) was Greek and his wife Olga Andrews was of Norweg

September 12, 2020

“All in all, [the Andrews sisters] were one of the great acts, with fine three part harmony, clever staging, and, above all, the singing voice of Patty Andrews.” - Mel Tormé, My Singing Teachers, 1994

The Andrews Sisters. The name conjures indelible images: soldiers listening to a jukebox in the canteen; packed theaters with rabid fans jitterbugging in the aisles; and a brass-voiced trio of lanky women in chiffon dresses and bouffant hairdos.

The story of the Andrews sisters (at right: LaVerne, Patty, and Maxene) is certainly one of Depression-era grit and optimism. But it took far more than raw talent and pluck to create one of the most popular singing groups the world has ever seen. Years of hard work rehearsing and touring, changes in how Americans bought and heard music, and a cast of devoted family and friends all helped turn three working-class girls from Minnesota into The Queens of the Jukebox.

Images and artifacts for this exhibit are taken in part from the Robert Boyer Collection at The Great American Songbook Foundation. 

The Andrews Sisters may have been singing together as soon as they could talk. Their parents, although they were working-class immigrants, did their best to support the sisters’ musical ambition from an early age. The trio’s first recorded appearance is from late 1930 – when Patty was only 12 – as part of a local kiddie revue. 

Following their amazing success in the 40s and early 50s, the Andrews sisters broke up in 1953 as Patty pursued a solo career. They reunited only three years later, but America’s musical tastes had already moved on; despite releasing several more records and making frequent appearances on early television variety shows, the Andrews sisters never had another hit.

When LaVerne grew ill in 1966, Patty and Maxene tried to continue with singer Joyce DeYoung, but dissolved the trio shortly after LaVerne’s death. Although the p

During a time when teenagers were doing the jitterbug and Uncle Sam was asking young men to enlist, The Andrews Sisters were America’s most popular female singing group. Patty, the youngest sister, was a loud and energetic blond who headed the group with her confident vocals. The middle sister was Maxene, a brunette, whose harmonic range gave the impression of four voices instead of three. Finally, completing the trio was the eldest, LaVerne, a strong willed red head with a witty sense of humor and an eye for fashion.

The Andrews Sisters versatile sound and range in genres explains their longevity in the music industry and popularity with people all over the world. They had major hits in nearly all types of music ranging from swing to country-western. This tremendous popularity did not stop in the music business. The trio could also be found performing in radio series, commercials, Hollywood movies and on Broadway.

Born in Minnesota, the three Andrews sisters developed a love for music at an early age. As children their first experience with music occurred when LaVerne had her two younger sisters sing a musical note around the family’s piano. This experience awakened the girls love for music and they began spending all of their free time singing and mimicking the successful singers of the time. Some of their first major influences included the Boswell Sisters, Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Torme.

The girls got their start when Larry Rich hired them to go on tour with his 55 member troupe. In 1932 they stopped touring with Rich, but the girls continued to sing at fairs, vaudeville shows and club acts. While touring the girls worked hard on their craft and rehearsed daily, sometimes practicing in the back of their father’s Buick while driving to the next show. After six years of living on the road the girls had their first major success with “Bei Mir” which sold 350,000 copies. The song held the Billboards No. 1 slot for five weeks. This achievement established The An

The Andrews Sisters were an American singing group in the 1930s, the 1940s and the 1950s. They were from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their names were LaVerne (July 6, 1911 – May 8, 1967), Maxene (January 3, 1916 – October 21, 1995) and Patty Andrews (February 16, 1918 – January 30, 2013). They broke up in 1967 after the death of LaVerne, but their music is still played over certain radio stations in the United States. The Andrews Sisters were notable for their song "The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy". That song was covered and recorded by multiple singers over the years.

Personal lives

The Andrews sisters were born in Minnesota, to a Greek father and Norwegian mother. They grew up in Minneapolis.

Maxene

Maxene was married to the Andrews Sisters' manger Louis Abraham "Lou" Levy 1941 until they divorced in 1951. They had two adopted children, a son and a daughter. Andrews died on October 21, 1995 in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, from a heart attack, aged 79.

LaVerne

LaVerne was married to Louis A. Roger from 1948 until her death in 1967. Andrews died on May 8, 1967 in Brentwood, California from cancer, aged 56.

Patty

Patty was married to Martin "Marty" Melcher from 1947 until they divorced in 1950. Then she was married to