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Patty Andrews, 1918-2013 Patty Andrews obituary
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They were the most successful sibling trio in show business history. The Andrews Sisters sang on the radio, on records, accompanied the greatest popular singers of the age, and were familiar faces as well as voices to almost everyone who ever went to see a musical film. Patty Andrews, who has died aged 94, was the lead singer and soloist with the Andrews Sisters, the most successful sibling trio in show-business history. Patty and her older sisters, LaVerne and Maxene, sang on the radio, on records, accompanied the greatest popular singers of the age, and were familiar faces as well as voices to almost everyone who ever went to see a musical film. Originally thought of as simply an accompanying group, before long the swinging trio were stars themselves, spawning a series of other sister acts – not all of whom were genuine siblings.
LaVerne, Maxene and Patty Andrews were originally thought of as simply an accompanying group but before long they were stars themselves. They spawned a whole series of other sister acts – not all of whom were genuinely sisters. LaVerne was born in 1911 and died in 1967, Maxene, born in 1916, died in 1995 and now Patty (Patricia) born in 1918, has died aged94. They were born of Greek-Norwegian ancestry near Minneapolis, Minnesota. From the moment they started singing together – with Patty, the prettiest and blondest of the three, acting as their lead singer and soloist – they were a success. They began in Vaudeville in the early 1930s. Then they toured America with the Larry Rich band and before long were starring at the Hotel Edison in New York with Leon Belasco. Patricia Andrews was the third daughter of a Greek immigrant, Peter Andrews, and his Norwegian wife, Olga. She was born and raised around Minneapolis, Minnesota. From the moment she started singing with LaVerne and Maxene, the siblings were a success. They began in Vaudeville in the early 1930s and were inspired by the success of the Boswell Sisters. They toured America with the Larry Rich band and before long were starring at the Hotel Edison in New York with Leon Belasco.
In 1938 they were offered a recording contract by Decca records. Since they were an unknown group it was one of the smallest contracts the label had ever had on its books. Things took a momentous turn when the songwriter Sammy Cahn was trying to "plug" one of his own products – a revamped version of an old Yiddish standard called Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen. They saw the song on a piano in the studio and asked Decca's boss Harry Kapp to be allowed to record it. Kapp didn't want to know. "What a race record!" Cahn was to remember his saying. "Never. Not on this label." The family relocated to New York in 1937 and the sisters were offered a recording contract by Decca. Since they were an unknown group, it was one of the smallest contracts the label had ever had on its books. Things took a momentous turn when the songwriter Sammy Cahn was trying to "plug" one of his own products – a revamped version of an old Yiddish standard called Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen. They saw the song on a piano in the studio and asked Decca's boss Harry Kapp to be allowed to record it. Kapp didn't want to know. "What a race record!" Cahn was to remember his saying. "Never. Not on this label."
But Kapp then heard them sing the tune and realised that three Norwegian-Greek-American girls singing a song in Yiddish – with a great deal of added English – did, after all, have something. Their version of the number was an instant bestseller. It not only established Cahn and his partner Saul Chaplin (later an eminent Hollywood film producer) as ace songwriters, it made the Andrews Sisters the hottest name in the record business. But Kapp then heard them sing the tune and realised that three Norwegian-Greek-American girls singing a song in Yiddish – with a great deal of added English – did, after all, have something. Their version of the number was an instant bestseller in 1937. It not only established Cahn and his partner Saul Chaplin as ace songwriters, it made the Andrews Sisters the hottest name in the record business.
Strangely for an "ethnic" record it has now come to be emblematic of the age, the disc played whenever a film or a TV play deals with the era of jitterbug and evacuation – to say nothing of Land Girls who sang it as they stacked the hay. Two more huge hits followed – The Beer Barrel Polka and Hold Tight, Hold Tight (both 1939).Strangely for an "ethnic" record it has now come to be emblematic of the age, the disc played whenever a film or a TV play deals with the era of jitterbug and evacuation – to say nothing of Land Girls who sang it as they stacked the hay. Two more huge hits followed – The Beer Barrel Polka and Hold Tight, Hold Tight (both 1939).
In 1940 they appeared in the film Argentine Nights with the Ritz Brothers. In the 1941 film Buck Privates, again with Abbott and Costello, they scored their really big contribution to the war effort. It featured another of their big hits, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. Soon it and other songs like Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree (1942) and Don't Fence Me In (1944) were sung by women working at wartime factory benches, as well as by the men themselves in their camps. The sisters also starred in Abbott and Costello comedies and in Hollywood Canteen (1944), in which they appeared as themselves in a movie about the ever-open café operated by the stars for American servicemen. In 1940 they were signed by Universal Pictures and appeared in the film Argentine Nights with the Ritz Brothers. In the 1941 film Buck Privates, with Abbott and Costello, they scored their really big contribution to the war effort. It featured another of their big hits, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. Soon it and other songs like Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (1942) and Don't Fence Me In (1944) were sung by women working at wartime factory benches, as well as by the men themselves in their camps. The sisters starred in further Abbott and Costello comedies and in Hollywood Canteen (1944), in which they appeared as themselves in a movie about the ever-open cafe operated by the stars for American servicemen.
Cole Porter's Don't Fence Me In had them accompanying Bing Crosby. It was the start of a relationship that went on for decades. Pistol-Packing Mama (1943) was one of their huge joint hits. Others included Jingle Bells (1943), Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (1944) and Accentuate The Positive (1945). Cole Porter's Don't Fence Me In had them accompanying Bing Crosby. It was the start of a relationship that went on for decades. Pistol-Packing Mama (1943) was one of their huge joint hits. Others included Jingle Bells (1943), Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (1944) and Accentuate the Positive (1945).
Other artists were also happy to share their record labels with the sisters. Danny Kaye partnered them on It's A Quiet Town (1947) and The Woody Woodpecker Song (1948). With Carmen Miranda they sang Cuanto Le Gusta (also 1948). Other artists were also happy to share their record labels with the sisters. Danny Kaye partnered them on It's a Quiet Town (1947) and The Woody Woodpecker Song (1948). With Carmen Miranda they sang Cuanto Le Gusta (also 1948). On their own they hit it big with Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar (1940) and the sentimental ballad I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time (1941). Their voices were also featured in the Disney cartoon Make Mine Music in 1946.
On their own they hit it big with Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar (1940) and I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time (1941). Their voices were featured in the Disney cartoon, Make Mine Music, in 1946, which perhaps was the real mark of their status. In many ways Patty was the most successful member of the group. Certainly, her solos made her the most visible sister. There were those who thought that that role went a little too much to her head, for in 1953 she temporarily broke away from the group. But people still wanted more of the Andrews Sisters and before long they were all back together.
In many ways Patty was the most successful member of the group. Certainly her solos made her the most visible sister. There were those who thought that that role went a little too much to her head, for in 1949 she temporarily broke away from the sisterhood. But people still wanted more of the Andrews Sisters and before long they were all three back together again. The group finally broke up with the death of LaVerne in 1967. In the early 70s Bette Midler had success with her own recording of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy and people once more went looking for the original, which had a renewed moderate success. In 1974 Maxene and Patty were back in business, starring in a Broadway musical about what was undoubtedly their most successful period – the war years – called Over Here, and featuring a third "borrowed sister". The show ran for more than a year. Patty, who also had solo success in Las Vegas, continued to work after Maxene's death in 1995.
The group finally broke up with the death of Laverne. By then their combined record sales had amounted to something like 60m. But even after Laverne's death there were a number of impetuses for their continued popularity. In the early 70s Bette Midler made her own recording of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy and people once more went looking for the original, which had a renewed moderate success. From 1947 to 1949 Patty was married to the agent Martin Melcher. After their divorce he married Doris Day and Patti married Walter Weschler, the Andrews Sisters' pianist, who also became their manager. Weschler died in 2010.
In 1974 Maxene and Patty were back in business, starring in a Broadway musical about what was undoubtedly their most successful period – the war years – called Over Here, and featuring a third "borrowed sister". The show ran for more than a year. Patty continued to work after Maxene's death and in 1990 toured Britain, singing with what was billed as the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Patty is survived by her foster daughter, Pam.
Patty Andrews, singer and youngest member of the Andrews Sisters trio, born 16 February 1920; died 30 January 2013. • Patricia Marie Andrews, singer, born 16 February 1920; died 30 January 2013