- The Chordettes
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The Chordettes 
The Chordettes, from left to right, Jinny Osborn, Nancy Overton, Lynn Evans and Carol BuschmannBackground information Origin Sheboygan, Wisconsin, U.S. Genres Barbershop music, traditional pop Years active 1946–1961 Labels Columbia, Cadence Website The Chordettes' page on the Primarily A Cappella site Past members Janet Ertel
Carol Buschmann
Dorothy Schwartz
Jinny Osborn (aka Jinny Lockard)
Lynn Evans
Margie Needham
Nancy OvertonThe Chordettes were a female popular singing quartet, usually singing a cappella, and specializing in traditional popular music. The Chordettes were one of the longest lived vocal groups with beginnings in the mainstream pop and vocal harmonies of the 1940s and early 1950s.[1] Although the arrangements owed more to The Andrews Sisters than doo-wop, they did, unlike many of their peers, prove fairly adaptable to the rock and roll era.[1] First establishing themselves with the huge hit record, "Mr. Sandman" in 1954, they continued to chart in the last half of the 1950s and the early 1960s, often with cover versions of rock and R&B songs.[1] Their No. 2 1958 success "Lollipop" was the biggest of these.[1] Although their sound was among the most conventional of rock artists, they introduced enough rock style into their repertoire and production, to sound more contemporary than they had on records such as "Mr. Sandman." They had an enormous fan club base led by Jody Destefano, president of their International Fan Club, who organized thousands of Chordettes fans from her home in Union City, N.J. A monthly newsletter was sent to the many chapter presidents all over the world, keeping them informed of the upcoming appearances of the famous group. The Chordettes always gave the fan club their personal attention.[1]
Contents
Career
The group organized in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in 1946. The original members of the group were Janet Ertel (September 21, 1913 — November 4, 1988), Carol Buschmann (her sister-in-law), Dorothy Schwartz, and Jinny Osborn (aka Jinny Lockard; April 25, 1928 — May 19, 2003). In 1952, Lynn Evans replaced Schwartz, and in 1953, Margie Needham replaced Osborn, although Osborn later returned to the group. Nancy Overton (February 6, 1926 — April 5, 2009) also was a member of the group at a later time, but never sang on any of the Chordettes' recordings. Originally they sang folk music in the style of The Weavers, but eventually changed to a harmonizing style of the type known as barbershop harmony or close harmony. Part of this change seems to be influenced by Osborn's father.[1]
Jinny Osborn was born Virginia Cole in Seattle, Washington. She was the daughter of O. H. "King" Cole, who was president of the Barbershop Harmony Society,[1] and Katherine Flack.
After performing locally in Sheboygan, they won on Arthur Godfrey's radio program Talent Scouts in 1949.[1] They held feature status on Godfrey's daily program, and then recorded for Columbia Records.[1] In 1953, Godfrey's music director and orchestra leader, Archie Bleyer, founded Cadence Records.[1] He signed a number of Godfrey regulars and former regulars, including the Chordettes, who had a number of hit records for Cadence. Ertel and Bleyer wed in 1954.[1] Archie and Janet Bleyer's daughter, Jackie, married another Cadence recording star, Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers.
The Chordettes biggest hit was "Mr. Sandman" in 1954, and Bleyer appeared on that recording, along with the group. Originally a b-side for Vaughn Monroe, the bouncy, somewhat novelty-oriented tune (complete with a deep voiced "Yes?" from Bleyer representing "Mr. Sandman" at one point) made No. 1 for seven weeks.[1] The record sold over one million copies[2] and reached No. 11 in the UK Singles Chart.[3]
They also hit No. 2 in 1958 with the million-seller "Lollipop",[2] and also charted with a vocal version of the themes from television's Zorro (U.S. No. 17) (1959) and the film Never on Sunday (U.S. No. 13) (1961). Other hits for the girls included "Eddie My Love" (U.S. No. 14), "Born to Be with You" (U.S. No. 5), "Lay Down Your Arms" in 1956, and "Just Between You and Me" (U.S. No. 8) in 1957.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Chordettes continued to alternate between pop songs and ones with an eye on the rock market, including covers of The Coasters' "Charlie Brown", Paul Anka's "Lonely Boy", and Dodie Stevens' "Pink Shoe Laces".[1] They even did some recordings with King Curtis on saxophone.[1]
The Chordettes appeared on American Bandstand on August 5, 1957, the first episode of that show to be broadcast nationally on the ABC Television network. In 1961, Osborn left the group, and they were unable to find a replacement with whom they were happy, leading to their break-up.[1]
In the early 1990s, The Chordettes re-grouped with Lynn Evans, Nancy Overton and her sister Jean Swain, plus Doris Alberti, doing shows ranging from a doo-wop concert to touring with Eddy Arnold. A live cassette of a concert in Branson, Missouri was recorded. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001.[4]
Recently
The longest living member of the Chordettes who has sung on all the Chordettes' recordings, both a cappella and Cadence recordings, is Carol Buschmann. Lynn Evans Mand sang on all the Chordettes' Cadence Recordings. In 2005, Mand appeared on a PBS television special, with other 1950s pop icons, singing "Lollipop". Buschmann, Mand and Margie Needham Latzko, are the surviving singers who recorded "Mr. Sandman". Janet Ertel Bleyer, the other singer on that recording, passed away in 1988.
During Super Bowl XLV, CarMax unveiled a new commercial featuring the Chordettes' 1955 song "Lonely Lips".[5]
Deaths
Janet Ertel Bleyer died in 1988. Jinny Osborn (later known as Jinny Janis) died in 2003. On April 5, 2009 Nancy Overton died after a long battle of esophageal cancer.[6]
Discography
Hit singles
Year Single Chart positions U.S.
[7]U.S.
R&BU.S.
ACUK 1954 "Mr. Sandman" 1[citation needed] 11 1956 "The Wedding" 91[citation needed] "Eddie My Love" 14 "Born To Be With You" 5 8 "Lay Down Your Arms" 16[citation needed] "Teen Age Goodnight" 45 1957 "Just Between You and Me" 8 "Soft Sands" 73 1958 "Lollipop" 2 3 6 "Zorro" 17 1959 "No Other Arms No Other Lips" 27 "A Girl's Work Is Never Done" 89 1960 "A Broken Vow" 1961 "Never On Sunday" 13 4 "Faraway Star" 90 Albums
- Harmony Encores (1952)
- The Chordettes Sing Your Requests (1954)
- Never On Sunday (1962)
See also
- List of vocal groups
- List of artists who reached number one in the United States
- List of acts who appeared on American Bandstand
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Biography by Richie Unterberger". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p12556. Retrieved 20 January 2009.
- ^ a b Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 1954. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 105. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Induction into Vocal Group Hall of Fame
- ^ CarMax – Gas Station – 2011 Super Bowl Commercial Ad
- ^ Hevesi, Dennis (April 10, 2009). "Nancy Overton, Singer for the Chordettes, Is Dead at 83". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/arts/music/11overton.html. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
- ^ The Chordettes at Allmusic
External links
Categories:- Apex Records artists
- Cadence Records artists
- Vocal quartets
- Traditional pop music singers
- American pop music groups
- American girl groups
- Sheboygan, Wisconsin
- Musical groups from Wisconsin
- Musical groups established in 1946
- Musical groups disestablished in 1961
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