670) LaVerne Andrews

LaVerne Sophia Andrews (1911 - 1967). Eldest sister of the close harmony singing group Andrews Sisters. She was a contralto, her sister Maxene Anglyn a soprano and the other sister Patricia Marie a mezzo-soprano. Throughout their career, the sisters sold over 75 million records (the last official count released by MCA Records in the mid-1970s). Their 1941 hit "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" can be considered an early example of rhythm and blues or jump blues.
The sisters were born to Peter Andreos (anglicized to "Andrews" upon arriving in the US) and Olga (née Sollie); their father was Greek and their mother a Norwegian-American of the Lutheran faith. Patty, the youngest and the lead singer of the group, was 7 when the group was formed, and 12 when they won first prize at a talent contest at the local Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, where LaVerne played piano accompaniment for the silent film showings in exchange for free dancing lessons for herself and her sisters.

- "Blonde Patty was the lively melodic leader, engulfed by the warm harmonies of auburn-haired contralto LaVerne and brunette soprano Maxene." https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1679536/bio

- "Finally, completing the trio was the eldest, LaVerne, a strong willed red head with a witty sense of humor and an eye for fashion." https://www.veteranstodayarchives.com/…/the-andrew-sisters…/