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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZMcGUIRE SISTERSUSA close-harmony pop trio popular in the 1950s. Chris (b Ruby Christine McGuire, 30 July 1929; d 28 December 2018, Las Vegas NV), Dorothy 'Dotty' (b 13 February 1930; d 7 September 2012, Paradise Valley AZ), and Phyllis (b 14 February 1931; d 30 December 2020, Las Vegas) were from Middletown Ohio; they got started on local TV and were a hit and a winner on Arthur Godfrey's talent show in 1954, signed with Coral and had 17 top 40 hits '54-61, with two at no. 1: 'Sincerely' '55 and 'Sugartime' '57. Their sweet style, similar to that of the Chordettes, carried on from that of the Andrews Sisters from a previous decade (though perhaps the Andrews' sound had more character); it was redolent of early '50s pop and disappeared seemingly without trace, only to make a comeback in the 1980s in casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. There were similarly periodic revivals of the Beverly Sisters in England. Phyllis was later famous for being gangster Sam Giancana's girlfriend. Speaking of England, however, Italian-born jazz singer Marcella Puppini had a steady gig at a gay pub called The Cock in 21st-century Kensington in London; he was bitten by the retro bug and teamed up with British girls Stephanie O'Brien and Kate Mullins as the Puppini Sisters for several CDs from Universal. Everything from their harmony to their lipstick and the design of their website harks back to long before they were born. Maybe the sound will never go away. |