The Andrews Sisters was born in Minnesota to a Greek immigrant father Peter Andreas(1884-1949) and a Norwegian American mother Olga"Ollie"Andrews(1886-1948). The youngest, Patty, was the lead singer of the group at the age of seven. By the age of twelve they won first place at Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota for a talent contest. They started as imitators of the Boswell Sisters.
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| The Boswell Sisters NOTE: they are not from Minnesota, they are from New Orleans. |
The Andrews Sisters was best known for singing for the soldiers during World War II at the American bases. Then everything changed when Patty joined another group in 1951with her husband that was acting to be her agent which caused a bitter two year separation. In December 1954 Maxene tried to commit suicide by taking 18 sleeping pills, her sister LaVerne told reporters that it was an accident.
They reunited in 1956 and made a dozen singles in 1959. In 1967, LaVerne passed away of cancer, she was replaced with another singer Joyce DeYong. LaVerne was the peace maker of three. Patty and Maxene still performed after the death of LaVerne, they ended in 1968. Maxene went to Tahoe Paradise College as the dean. She also taught acting, drama, and speech at Lake Tahoe College, and worked with troubled teens. Patty was eager to go solo.
Patty quickly distanced her self from Maxene. While performing in Illinois she suffered a heart attack in 1982 and underwent quadruple bypass surgery, she fully recovered.
They reunited on the walk of fame in 1987. On October 21, 1995, Maxene had another heart attack and passed away at Cape Cod Hospital. Patty didn't go to her memorial service in New York and California, making Patty the only surviving Andrews sister. Patty is still living and she is 93 years old. I know I could not believe it myself.
Peace & Love ~
The Teenage Blogger
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