LaVerne Sofia Andrews: b. July 6, 1911; d. May 8, 1967
Maxene Angelyn Andrews: b. January 3, 1916; d. October 21, 1995
Patricia "Patty" Marie Andrews: b. February 26, 1918
WWII-era vocal trio from
Minneapolis, Minn. Remembered primarily for relentlessly upbeat songs featuring virtuoso vocal harmonies. Patty sang lead
soprano, Maxene second soprano and LaVerne sang
contralto or
bass. They recorded nearly 2,000 songs and sold over 90 million records.
Their career began in 1932 with the Larry Rich Orchestra, where they toured the Midwest and performed in
vaudeville acts. Record mogul Dave Kapp signed them to
Decca Records in 1937 after catching their act on a local radio broadcast. They made history in 1938 with their recording of "Bei Mir Bist du Schoen," which became the first million selling record for an all-female group. They became a radio staple in the 1930s and the 1940s. Their best-known songs include "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," "
Rum and Coca Cola" and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree." The sisters even performed with other popular artists such as Bing Crosby, Les Paul, Burl Ives, Danny Kaye, Carmen Miranda, Guy Lombardo, Ernest Tubbs, and the Glenn Miller Orchestra. They also made 17 films such as
In the Navy, Buck Privates and Follow the Boys,
Patty Andrews split in 1954 to go solo, with Maxene bailing out in 1955. It didn't last and the sisters reunited in 1956. LaVerne retired in 1966 and died of cancer in 1967. The remaining two sisters carried on with a singer named Joyce deYoung.
Patty Andrews appeared in the musical
Victory Canteen in 1970, the success of which prompted the writers to create
Over Here!, a musical about WWII that starred both Patty and Maxene. The cast included
Marilu Henner,
Treat Williams and
John Travolta.
Where is Patty Andrews now?
Good question. There is no death record on file, so she may still be alive. The most recent evidence in the
public record is a May 31, 1999 letter she wrote to the
Minneapolis Star-Tribune newspaper, arguing for the erection of a
World War II Memorial on the
National Mall in
Washington, D.C.
Editors note: Patty Andrews, the last surviving member of the trio died on January 30, 2013 at her home in California. She was 94 years old. No cause of death was given.