The Fontane Sisters
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The Fontane Sisters were a trio (Bea, Geri and Margi Rosse) from New Milford, New Jersey. Originally they performed with their guitarist brother Frank, but he was killed in World War II. They were featured on a radio show done by Perry Como and Como's later television program.
In 1949 they were signed by RCA Records, and did some recordings as backup to Como. In 1951 they had a minor hit with "The Tennessee Waltz," of which bigger recordings were done by Patti Page and Les Paul and Mary Ford.
In 1954 they switched to Dot Records, where they had 18 songs in the Billboard Hot 100, 10 in the top 40.
The Fontane Sisters retired from show business around 1961, when youngest sister Geri was expecting her daughter. The daughter was named after Geri, and as an adult she went by the name "Geri Fontane Latchford"--"Latchford" coming from Geri's (the mother's) husband, Al(bert) Latchford.
In 1963, Dot Records did release one last album (TIPS OF MY FINGERS) and single ("Tips of My Fingers"/"Summertime Love") by The Fontane Sisters. But these recordings did not mark a return to performing for the trio, who remained retired despite having agreed to make the recordings for Dot.
For the next 40 years, The Fontane Sisters remained out of the public's eye. While many of their fans wondered what had become of them, it was apparently their choice that their private lives remain private. The next definitive word about them came in 2004, when an article in NEW YORK DAILY NEWS reported that Geri Fontane Latchford had received back royalties due to her mother and two aunts. It was revealed in this same article that all three of The Fontane Sisters had passed away--Geri in 1993, Bea around 2002, and Marge around 2003.
[edit] Recordings
- "Adorable" (1955)
- "Banana Boat Song" (1956) (bigger hits by Harry Belafonte and the Tarriers)
- "Chanson d'Amour" (1958) (bigger hit for Art and Dotty Todd)
- "Daddy-O" (1955)
- "Eddie My Love" (1956) (bigger hit for The Chordettes, but originally recorded by The Teen Queens)
- "Happy Days and Lonely Nights" (1954)
- "Hearts Of Stone" (1954) (their first and biggest hit, originally recorded by Otis Williams and the Charms)
- "I'm In Love Again" (1956, originally recorded by Fats Domino)
- "I'm Stickin' With You" (1957, originally recorded by Jimmy Bowen)
- "Jealous Heart" (1958)
- "Lonesome Lover Blues" (1956)
- "Nuttin' For Christmas" (1955)
- "Playmates" (1955)
- "Please Don't Leave Me" (1956)
- "Rock Love" (1955)
- "Rollin' Stone" (1955)
- "Seventeen" (1955) (cover of Boyd Bennett)
- "Still" (1956)
- "Tennessee Waltz" (1951) (bigger hits by Patti Page and Les Paul and Mary Ford)
- "Voices" (1956)
- "With A Little Bit Of Luck" (1956)
[edit] External references
- Music Web Encyclopaedia of Popular Music article on the Fontane Sisters
- details of discography
