Last Andrews Sister Dies at Age 94

[landtuna]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/30/showbiz/patty-andrews-obit/index.html?eref=rss_mostpopular

 

[michael hagerty]

I didn't know this until the last Andrews Sister death prompted a discussion here, but the Andrews Sisters had 113 charted Billboard singles, only one of which failed to make the top 30.

46 of them were Top 10 (more than The Beatles or Elvis)...8 of them were #1...in a 17-year chart run.

 

[landtuna]

I didn't know this until the last Andrews Sister death prompted a discussion here, but the Andrews Sisters had 113 charted Billboard singles, only one of which failed to make the top 30.

46 of them were Top 10 (more than The Beatles or Elvis)...8 of them were #1...in a 17-year chart run.

Quite a remarkable record to be sure but....

Both Elvis and The Beatles changed both music and the cultures in which they existed. Although the Andrews Sisters were very popular (and I enjoy their old films too) they were "just" popular performers.

But perhaps someone with more in-depth knowledge can answer this.....what competition did they have? I remember quite a few male groups in the 40's and 50's. I don't remember female groups until the early 60's.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

Very sorry to learn of the death of Patty Andrews. I have always enjoyed listening to the Andrews Sisters. Patty usually was the lead vocalist and, as such, provided the solos in some of their songs.

For female groups of the 1930's and 1940's, you need to mention The Boswell Sisters: Connee, Martha and Helvetia (who was called "Vet"). They actually began in 1925 and had many recordings and also appeared on various radio shows. Connee and Martha also did some records on their own.

 

[michael hagerty]

I didn't know this until the last Andrews Sister death prompted a discussion here, but the Andrews Sisters had 113 charted Billboard singles, only one of which failed to make the top 30.

46 of them were Top 10 (more than The Beatles or Elvis)...8 of them were #1...in a 17-year chart run.

Quite a remarkable record to be sure but....

Both Elvis and The Beatles changed both music and the cultures in which they existed. Although the Andrews Sisters were very popular (and I enjoy their old films too) they were "just" popular performers.

But perhaps someone with more in-depth knowledge can answer this.....what competition did they have? I remember quite a few male groups in the 40's and 50's. I don't remember female groups until the early 60's.

I get your point about Elvis and The Beatles, Landtuna, but in fairness, no musical act changed the culture before Elvis. And even if the Andrews Sisters were capable of that, they were overshadowed by an agent of far greater cultural change: World War II.

As for a lack of competition from other female groups: Being in a minority doesn't guarantee chart success...and certainly not record-setting chart success. The Andrews Sisters outsold Bing Crosby going into the 40s, Frank Sinatra until the middle 50s and landed more Top 10s than the two acts who did change the culture.

And while Elvis changed the culture in ways that ended the Andrews Sisters' 17-year hit streak (Elvis had to re-start his career after only 12 years and the Beatles broke up 6 years after coming to America), the Andrews Sisters did have a marvelous little echo....giving Bette Midler her first big record in 1973...a faithful if faster "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy".

I think calling them "just popular performers" is selling them very short.

 

[landtuna]

I get your point about Elvis and The Beatles, Landtuna, but in fairness, no musical act changed the culture before Elvis. And even if the Andrews Sisters were capable of that, they were overshadowed by an agent of far greater cultural change: World War II.

I know there were popular vocalists prior to Frankie but they were mostly classically trained stars like opera singers, were they not? Frankie seems to have changed the culture somewhat by being the target of the Bobby Soxers and their first hero worship type adulation.

Prior to that though would you not agree that Big Band/Swing changed the music culture somewhat - and Swing/Jazz in the 20's?

As for a lack of competition from other female groups: Being in a minority doesn't guarantee chart success...and certainly not record-setting chart success. The Andrews Sisters outsold Bing Crosby going into the 40s, Frank Sinatra until the middle 50s and landed more Top 10s than the two acts who did change the culture.

Yeah, I understand. Of course, at one time Abbott & Costello were the supreme kings of comedy (and the Andrews Sisters had a little bit to do with that).

And while Elvis changed the culture in ways that ended the Andrews Sisters' 17-year hit streak (Elvis had to re-start his career after only 12 years and the Beatles broke up 6 years after coming to America), the Andrews Sisters did have a marvelous little echo....giving Bette Midler her first big record in 1973...a faithful if faster "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy".

Covers! BAH! Nothing like the original.

I think calling them "just popular performers" is selling them very short.

You will note I put quotes around "just" to make just such a distinction.

So.....is the answer to my question that the Sisters didn't have any direct head-to-head competition? I couldn't think of any myself but I'm not an expert on WWII-era music.

 

[michael hagerty]

I get your point about Elvis and The Beatles, Landtuna, but in fairness, no musical act changed the culture before Elvis. And even if the Andrews Sisters were capable of that, they were overshadowed by an agent of far greater cultural change: World War II.

I know there were popular vocalists prior to Frankie but they were mostly classically trained stars like opera singers, were they not? Frankie seems to have changed the culture somewhat by being the target of the Bobby Soxers and their first hero worship type adulation.

Prior to that though would you not agree that Big Band/Swing changed the music culture somewhat - and Swing/Jazz in the 20's?

As for a lack of competition from other female groups: Being in a minority doesn't guarantee chart success...and certainly not record-setting chart success. The Andrews Sisters outsold Bing Crosby going into the 40s, Frank Sinatra until the middle 50s and landed more Top 10s than the two acts who did change the culture.

Yeah, I understand. Of course, at one time Abbott & Costello were the supreme kings of comedy (and the Andrews Sisters had a little bit to do with that).

And while Elvis changed the culture in ways that ended the Andrews Sisters' 17-year hit streak (Elvis had to re-start his career after only 12 years and the Beatles broke up 6 years after coming to America), the Andrews Sisters did have a marvelous little echo....giving Bette Midler her first big record in 1973...a faithful if faster "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy".

Covers! BAH! Nothing like the original.

I think calling them "just popular performers" is selling them very short.

You will note I put quotes around "just" to make just such a distinction.

So.....is the answer to my question that the Sisters didn't have any direct head-to-head competition? I couldn't think of any myself but I'm not an expert on WWII-era music.

Landtuna:

It's not a period I have deep knowledge of either. The bits I do know:

Genres of music changed the culture. Elvis was the first act to essentially do so single-handedly.

It was Bing Crosby who took popular music in a direction away from operatic (Caruso) and Broadway/Vaudeville (Al Jolson/Rudy Vallee). Bing hit big about 1930.

The Andrews Sisters and Frank Sinatra (as a vocalist for the Dorsey band) hit about the same time...I think the Andrews Sisters were a year ahead of Sinatra...1938 instead of 1939)...both acts were in the early phase of the Big Band/Swing era. Bobby Soxers loved 'em both. Sinatra had sex appeal going for him (any Soxers who had a thing for one or more of the Andrews Sisters had to keep it quiet in those days).

But remember...to get to where Elvis and The Beatles couldn't touch their chart records, The Andrews Sisters had to beat Bing and Frank back in the day. And they did.

At the time Elvis released his 50 Golden Records box set (1970), he was only halfway to the Andrews Sisters' 100 million sold...and The Beatles had just broken up.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

It might be noted that Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters also recorded together. They made records such as" "Don't Fence Me In" and "South America Take It Away". It should be noted that back then, the artists recorded together and not in the electronic manner that has been used on "duet" recorded materials in recent years.

The Andrews Sisters also made live on-stage appearances with Frank Sinatra such as at the Paramount Theatre in New York City.

With regards to "competition", may I note my earlier post on this topic from late Wednesday with regards to The Boswell Sisters. Both as a female singing group and as individuals, they influenced many who came after them. For example, it has been said that Connee Boswell is the most-widely copied recording artist of all time.