Trivia

Their first big hit "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon" was a favorite song of the Nazis, until it was discovered that the song's composers were Jewish.

The Andrews Sisters trio, listed in order, first born, Laverne Andrews's lifetime is the shortest of all, just 55 years. Maxene Andrews, the second born, died at 79 years. Patty Andrews, born last, was 94 when she died in 2013.

They recorded 47 songs with Bing Crosby, 23 of which charted on Billboard, including three million-selling platters, "Don't Fence Me In"/"The Three Caballeros," "South America, Take It Away"/"Get Your Kicks on Route 66-!" and "Jingle Bells"/"Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.".

They appeared in more films than any other singing group in show business history.

Along with Bette Davis & John Garfield the sisters helped found the famous Hollywood Canteen in Los Angeles, CA, a popular retreat for World War II servicemen on leave who were eager to receive free food & entertainment, served & provided by Hollywood's best.

The first female group to achieve a Gold Record award and the best-selling female vocal group ever, with a record that still remains unsurpassed (between 75-100 million). 46 of their hits reached the "Top 10" Billboard.

The Andrews Sisters were a popular harmonizing singing group consisting of three sisters, Patty Andrews, Maxene Andrews and Laverne Andrews. The trio was awarded 19 gold records representing sales of almost 100 million copies. They got their start in the Depression-era early 1930s, and their first big hit, "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen", was recorded in 1937. Their other best-known hits included "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" (first introduced in the Bud Abbott and Lou Costello comedy Buck Privates (1941), "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me)" and "Rum and Coca-Cola." With the entry of the United States into World War II, the sisters made frequent concert appearances at military bases, later traveling overseas to entertain the troops. Their career also included radio, television and Broadway appearances.

They were nicknamed "The Sweethearts of the Armed Forces" for their numerous USO appearances, as well as "The Queens of the Jukebox Machines" for their countless hit records.

Among all three of The Andrews Sisters, Laverne Andrews, Maxene Andrews and Patty Andrews, none of them were biological mothers. Maxene adopted two, one daughter, Aleta Ann and one son, Peter. Patty also adopted one daughter, Pam DuBois.

Entertained extensively during World War II in America, Italy and Africa, visiting Army, Navy, Marine and Coast Guard bases, war zones, hospital and munitions factories. Perhaps second only to Bob Hope in their exhaustive efforts to entertain the troops.

This musical trio sang numerous commercial jingles for such products as Wrigley's chewing gum, Dole pineapple, Campbell's soups, and Franco-American.

The ashes of LaVerne and Maxene are interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, in the same columbarium as their parents. The ashes of Patty, who died in 2013 at age 94, were buried with the ashes of her husband Wally at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.

They incorporated numerous ethnic musical styles into their popular songs, many of which were based on melodies originating in Israel, Italy, Spain, France, Ireland, Russia, Sweden, Mexico, and Trinidad.

They initially jumpstarted their careers by imitating the early successful group The Boswell Sisters.

Youngest sibling Patty Andrews was only seven when the group was first formed and 12 when the trio won their first prize at a talent contest at the local Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis.

Covered Miss Lolita's "Sailor" in 1961 for Decca in the UK and also recorded the popular Hawaiian-flavored Christmas novelty "Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas)" in 1950 for Decca in the USA.

They were awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

October 24, 1951, they recorded the American version of the French song "Maître Pierre" which was written in 1948 by Henri Betti (music) and Jacques Plante (lyrics). The English lyrics were written by Mitchell Parish and the title song became "The Windmill Song". The recording took place in New York with Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra.