The birthday season continues. Today is my grandma's birthday. She's 91 years old and just as beautiful as ever. Not only does she sing, but she played a swinging jazz saxophone when she was young. She also played a very large part in shaping my love for music. She gave me a love of WWII era music, and this was one of the many songs she taught me when I was little.
A blonde, a brunette and a redhead, the beautiful Andrews Sisters burst on the music scene in the 1930s, shaking things up with their blend of swing and boogie-woogie and their signature harmonies and vocal syncopations. The group broke up in 1953 when Patty, the lead singer and youngest sister, decided to embark on a solo career. Her older sisters found out about her decision from a gossip column rather than directly from her and this created a rift between the sisters that never completely healed. They did regroup in 1956 when they signed a contract with Capital Records. The act came to an upbrupt end in 1967 when sister LaVerne died after a year long battle with cancer. There were several other temporary reunions of the two remaining sisters, but nothing permanent. In 1995, sister Maxene suffered a heart attack and died at Cape Cod Hospital in New York. Sister Patty is 90 years old and remains a recluse with her husband of 55 years, Wally, in their home in Northridge, California.
Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree by The Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters website
2 comments:
I have the Mitch Miller version. I learned a bunch of oldies that way, singing along. :)
My best to your gram. I didn't used to value my life that much, but I learned and now I want to live to be as old as possible and for my body and mind to only fall apart at the very last moment. :)
I want to be that little old lady with the blue hair, walker & support stockings slouched down around her ankles, standing at the back of "that" record store jamming to latest underground stuff and bitching about how unimaginative pop & top 40 still is and how it hasn't changed in 50 years.
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