Chordettes

[Ron Phillipchuk]

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The Chordettes were an American female popular singing quartet, usually singing a cappella, and specializing in traditional popular music. They are best known for their hit songs "Mr. Sandman" and "Lollipop".

The group organized in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in 1946. The original members of the group were Janet Ertel, Carol Buschmann (her sister-in-law), Dorothy "Dottie" (Hummitzsch) Schwartz, and Jinny Osborn/Lockard (April 25, 1927 – 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 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 Talent Scouts in 1949. They held feature status on Godfrey's daily program, and then they recorded several 10-inch EPs 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" 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 No. 2 with 1958's "Lollipop" and also charted with a vocal version of the themes from Disney's 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. Their cover of "The White Rose Of Athens" hit the Australian Top 15 in May, 1962. The US single "In The Deep Blue Sea" was a one-week Music Vendor entry four months later (#128).

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 again left the group. Unable to find a replacement with whom they were happy the group disbanded.

[montage]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0kd-w7Xwd8


"Lollipop" is a pop song written by Julius Dixson  and Beverly Ross in 1958. It was first recorded by the duo Ronald & Ruby — Ross herself was "Ruby" — and then covered more successfully by The Chordettes. Dixson's name is sometimes spelled "Dixon".

The song is a firm favorite amongst many performing barbershop music.

[admin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNUgsbKisp8

"Mr. Sandman" (sometimes rendered as "Mister Sandman") is a popular song written by Pat Ballard which was published in 1954 and first recorded in May of that year by Vaughn Monroe & His Orchestra and later that same year by The Chordettes. The song's lyrics convey a request to "Mr. Sandman" to "bring me a dream" – the traditional association with the folkloric figure, the sandman.

The pronoun used to refer to the desired dream is often changed depending on the sex of the singer or group performing the song,[citation needed] as the original sheet music publication, which includes male and female versions of the lyrics, intended. Some time later, Ballard also rewrote the lyrics for Christmas use as "Mr. Santa".

The chord progression in each chorus follows the circle of fifths for six chords in a row. Singer Dorothy Collins charted with "Mr. Santa" (#51, US trade Music Vendor. 1955). The song was later recorded by Tony Sandler and Ralph Young (1968) and Suzy Bogguss. Emmylou Harris' recording of the song reached the top-ten on the U.S. country singles chart in 1981.

[admin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7c_6ieoTDM

"Eddie My Love" is a 1956 doo wop song. According to BMI and ASCAP, the song was written by Maxwell Davis (BMI), Aaron Collins, jr. (ASCAP), and Sam Ling (BMI). Maxwell Davis played sax on the Teen Queens record. Aaron Collins was the brother of the Teen Queens. Sam Ling was an alias of Saul Bihari, co-founder of Modern, RPM, and other labels.

The Teen Queens recorded the song in 1956, and took it to number three on the R&B Best Seller chart and number fourteen on the Billboard Charts.  It was to become their biggest selling single, with several follow up records failing to generate the same success.

Other versions of Eddie My Love were also recorded in 1956, by The Chordettes and The Fontane Sisters, these also charted, and by Jo Ann Campbell in 1961. Add to this is the rendition done by Dee Dee Sharp on Cameo Records in 1962.

Reggae versions have been recorded by Nora Dean in 1974 and later by UK-based Jamaican vocal group The Marvels.