Phyllis McGuire – the lead singer and last remaining member of the popular trio from the 1950s, the McGuire Sisters – has died at 89.
The resident of Middletown, Ohio, died Tuesday in her lush estate in Las Vegas, although no cause of death was given, the Las Vegas Sun reported.
The singer received her first major breakthrough in 1952 when Phyllis and older sisters Christine and Dorothy McGuire were signed by Coral Records, Variety reports. In the same year, they won first prize at the “Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts” competition.
The talented trio then took the music scene by storm and toured the country regularly watching ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ and other variety shows, reports the Wrap. The McGuire Sisters have performed for five presidents and even Queen Elizabeth II over the course of their illustrious careers.
The group is best known for their hit singles, namely their pop cover of the 1954 hit ‘Sincerely’ by the Moonglows and their 1955 rendition of ‘Sugartime’. sold copies, as well as their song ‘Picnic’ from 1956.
Unfortunately, the healthy crown people – known for their perfectly chopped haros and synchronized dance moves – slightly tarnished their image in the 60s after reports surfaced that Phyllis was talking to Chicago mobster Sam Giancana. The singer claims that their relationship was merely platonic, although the 1995 film “Sugartime” followed a different path.
In 1965, Phyllis testified before a grand jury that she knew Giancana was a criminal, but that she was not aware of his specific activities.
The group temporarily paused in 1968, during which time Phyllis began a solo career. They reunited in 1985, when they performed for nearly two more decades, culminating in a final large-scale appearance in the 2004 PBS special, “Magic Moments: The Best of ’50s Pop,” when Phyllis was in her 70s. .
The McGuire Sisters were inducted into the National Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 1994.
Dorothy died in 2012 at the age of 84 and Christine died in 2018 at 92.
“I’m not afraid to live, and I’m not afraid to die,” Phyllis told Vanity Fair in 1989. ‘And I’m going to keep singing as long as someone wants me. ”