Biography of The Chordettes

The Chordettes were a rare example of a group of women who sang in the acappella barbershop quartet style. From 1954 to 1961, they placed thirteen songs in the top 100, including their most popular hit, "Mr. Sandman." Formed in the late '40s in Sheboygan, WI, the group originally had a folk sound similar to the Weavers. The orginal group was a family affair, consisting of Janet Ertel, her sister Alice Spielvogel (whose tenure in the group was short-lived), Ertel's sister-in-law Carol Bushman, and friends Dorothy Schwartz and Jinny Osborn. In 1952, permanent member Schwartz was replaced by Lynn Evans and in 1953, Osborn was replaced by Margie Needham. Later, Nancy Overton would join the group. Archie Bleyer, owner of Cadence records, took an interest in the group when he was musical director of the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scout Show, which the girls performed on and won. He would eventually produce all of their recordings and took an even more personal interest in the band when he married Janet Ertel in 1954. He also appeared as the male vocal on "Mr. Sandman." The band stayed productive for several years, but eventually their genre itself began to fade from popular view. Their last big hit, "Never on Sunday," was recorded in 1961. ~ Stacia Proefrock