Dorothy McGuire born 13 February 1928

The McGuire Sisters were a singing trio in American popular music. The group was composed of three sisters: Christine McGuire (born July 30, 1926); Dorothy McGuire (February 13, 1928 – September 7, 2012); and Phyllis McGuire (born February 14, 1931). Among their most popular songs are "Sincerely" and "Sugartime", both number one hits.

They were born in Middletown, Ohio and grew up in Miamisburg, Ohio, where their mother, Lillie, was an ordained minister of the Miamisburg First Church of God and let

them sing in the church as young girls. They sang at weddings, funerals, and church revivals. When they started in 1935, Phyllis was only four years old. Eventually, they sang on other occasions than church-related ones; by 1949, they were singing at military bases and veterans' hospitals. They incorporated a more diverse repertoire for these, extending themselves to more than the hymns they had sung at church.

In 1952, they appeared on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, and as a result, Godfrey hired them for his other shows, where they remained for seven years. Before 1952 was over they were signed to Coral Records and had their first single release, “One, Two, Three, Four.” “Pine Tree, Pine, Over Me” was their first national hit in 1954, but it was their follow-up, “Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight,” that gave them their first Top Ten and “Muskrat Ramble,” that duplicated the effort. “Sincerely” was the first chart topper for the McGuire Sisters and it would open the way for them to appear at New York’s
Waldorf Astoria and on to the big casino’s of Las Vegas.

 

 

                              

The ride on the Hit Parade for the sisters would continue with “It May Sound Silly,” “Something’s Gotta Give,” the inspirational “He,” the theme from the motion picture “Picnic” and in 1958

“Sugartime” saw the McGuire Sisters once again with a million selling #1 hit, followed by “May You Always” in 1959. In 1961 they continued with “Just For Old Time’s Sake”

They performed for five Presidents of the United States (Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush), and for Queen Elizabeth II, as well as appearing on many top television shows. The Coca-Cola company signed them to a contract with the highest fee in advertising history up to that date.

The McGuire Sisters, and most especially Phyllis McGuire, were the subjects of a 1995 HBO movie called Sugartime, which depicted Phyllis' relationship with mobster Sam Giancana. Giancana was played by actor John Turturro and Phyllis was played by Mary Louise Parker.

In 1968, they retired from public performance. Phyllis went to a solo act; Dorothy and Christine became totally devoted to their families. Seventeen years later, however, they joined as an act again in response to fans' entreaties.

The sisters reunited in 1986, performing at Toronto's Royal York Hotel for the first time since their retirement. Numerous nightclub engagements followed in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and New York City's Rainbow & Stars, showcasing the group and Phyllis' impersonations of Peggy Lee, Judy Garland, Pearl Bailey, Ethel Merman and even Louis Armstrong. Singing their greatest hits as part of their act, they were also featured performing specialty numbers like the frantic "I Love a Violin," the a cappella "Danny Boy," and a segment during which Phyllis retired backstage as Christine and Dorothy shared the spotlight playing a concert arrangement of "The Way We Were" on twin pianos. 

Since then, the sisters had made occasional public appearances together, including in 2004, when they reunited to perform in a PBS special Magic Moments: Best of '50s Pop. It was plain to see on this 2004 program that at least Phyllis underwent some type of plastic surgery (most notably on her lips, which appeared much larger than ever before, even changing her speech), and the sisters' command of their vocal cords and harmonious blend had not significantly diminished.

They were inducted into the National Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 1994, and in 2001 they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. They also have been inducted into the Coca-Cola Hall of Fame and the Headliners' Hall of Fame. They were inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame in 2009. After their careers wound down, they opened a restaurant in Bradenton, Florida, calling it McGuire's Pub.

On September 7, 2012, Dorothy McGuire died at her son's home in Paradise Valley, Arizona, after suffering from Parkinson's disease and age-related dementia; she was 84. Dorothy's husband of 54 years, Lowell Williamson, passed away 6 months later on February 25, 2013 after sustaining a fractured back from a fall; he was 89.

Christine McGuire, passed away December 28,2018, in Las Vegas. She was 92.  (Edited from mainly Wikipedia)