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Biography
Infobox musical artist|name = The Chordettes|image = the_chordettes.JPG|caption = The Chordettes, from left to right, Jinny Osborn, Nancy Overton, Lynn Evans and Carol Buschmann|background = group_or_band|origin = Sheboygan, Wisconsin , U.S.|genre = Barbershop music , Traditional pop music|traditional pop |years_active = 1946–1961|label = Columbia Records|Columbia , Cadence Records|Cadence |website = http://www.singers.com/jazz/vintage/chordettes.html 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 Overton The Chordettes were a female popular music|popular singing quartet, usually singing a cappella , and specializing in traditional popular music .
Career
The group organized in Sheboygan, Wisconsin , in 1946. The original members of the group were Janet Ertel ( 1913 - November 4 , 1988 ), Carol Buschmann (her sister-in-law), Dorothy Schwartz (Wisconsin)|Dorothy Schwartz , and Jinny Osborn (or Jinny Lockard|Lockard ) ( April 25 , 1928 - May 19 , 2003 ). In 1952, Lynn Evans replaced Schwartz, and in 1953, Margie Needham replaced Osborn (who was having a baby), though Osborn later returned to the group. Nancy Overton also was a member of the group at a later time. Originally they sang folk music in the style of The Weavers , but eventually changed to a harmonizing style of the type known as Barbershop music|barbershop harmony or close harmony . Part of this change seems to be influenced by Osborn's father.
Jinny Osborn was born in Seattle, Washington . She was born Virginia Cole , the daughter of O. H. "King" Cole, who was president of the Barbershop Harmony Society (then known as SPEBSQSA ), and Katherine Flack.
After performing locally in Sheboygan, they won on Arthur Godfrey 's radio program '' Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts|Talent Scouts '' in 1949. They held feature status on Godfrey's daily program, and then recorded for Columbia Records .
In 1953, Godfrey's music director and orchestra leader, Archie Bleyer , founded Cadence Records . He signed a number of Godfrey regulars and former regulars, including the Chordettes, who had a number of hit records for Cadence.
Their biggest hit was Mr._Sandman| Mr. Sandman in 1954. Archie Bleyer himself is on that record along with the group, Bleyer stripping the sound down the better not to clutter the girls' voices. They also hit #2 with 1958's " Lollipop (1950s pop song)|Lollipop " and also charted with a vocal version of the themes from television's Zorro (TV series)|Zorro (U.S. #17) (1959) and the film Never on Sunday (U.S. #13) (1961). Other hits for the girls included "Eddie My Love" (U.S. #14), "Born to Be With You" (U.S. #5), "Lay Down Your Arms" in 1956, and "Just Between You and Me" (U.S. #8) in 1957.
Janet Ertel married Bleyer in 1954. Her daughter Jackie married another Cadence recording star, Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers .
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, Jinny Osborn left the group, and they were unable to find a replacement with whom they were happy, leading to a breakup.
Recently
The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001.
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 Records|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, died in 1988.
During Super Bowl XLV , CarMax unveiled a new commercial featuring the Chordettes' 1955 song "Lonely Lips". http://www.retro-commercials.com/2011/04/carmax-gas-station-2011-super-bowl-commercial-ad/ CarMax – Gas Station – 2011 Super Bowl Commercial Ad A 2012 Kia Optima car commercial premiered during Super Bowl XLVI featuring the Chordette's recording of "Mister Sandman."
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 .cite news|title=Nancy Overton, Singer for the Chordettes, Is Dead at 83|url= http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/arts/music/11overton.html|date=April 10, 2009|work=|publisher=New York Times|accessdate=August 6, 2009|first=Dennis|last=Hevesi
Drifting and Dreaming (1959)cite web|url= http://www.discogs.com/Chordettes-Drifting-And-Dreaming/release/3099489 |title=Chordettes, The - Drifting And Dreaming (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |date= |accessdate=2012-05-07
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
Reflist
External links
http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees/the_chordettes.html 'The Chordettes' Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p12556
The Chordettes' page on the http://www.singers.com/jazz/vintage/chordettes.html Primarily A Cappella site
http://nysut.org/newyorkteacher/2002-2003/020925chordette.html Chordette Lynn Evans harmonizes in classroom while a teacher
http://www.discoogle.com/wiki/Chordettes%2C_The_Discography The Chordettes : Official Covers Discography
DEFAULTSORT:Chordettes, The Category:Apex Records artists Category:Cadence Records artists Category:Vocal quartets Category:Traditional pop music singers Category:American pop music groups Category:American girl groups Category:Sheboygan, Wisconsin Category:Musical groups from Wisconsin Category:Musical groups established in 1946 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1961
