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LILER – On this Tuesday, December 12, 1995. file photo, Phyllis McGuire, the youngest of The McGuire Sisters, smiles after receiving a group of balloons from longtime friends Debbie Reynolds and Rip Taylor at her home in Las Vegas. Phyllis McGuire, the last surviving member of the three singing McGuire Sisters topped the charts in the 1950s, passed away on Tuesday, December 31, 2020 (AP Photo / Lennox McLendon, File)
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LILER – On this Tuesday, December 12, 1995. file photo, Phyllis McGuire, the youngest of The McGuire Sisters, smiles after receiving a group of balloons from longtime friends Debbie Reynolds and Rip Taylor at her home in Las Vegas. Phyllis McGuire, the last surviving member of the three singing McGuire Sisters who topped the charts with several hits in the 1950s, passed away on Tuesday, December 31, 2020 (AP Photo / Lennox McLendon, File)
LAS VEGAS (AP) – Phyllis McGuire, the last surviving member of the three singing McGuire Sisters who topped the charts in the 1950s, has died. She was 89.
The lead singer and younger sister of Dorothy and Christine McGuire died in Las Vegas on Tuesday, the Palm Eastern Mortuary and Cemetery confirmed Thursday. A cause of death was not provided.
The McGuire Sisters, known for their sweet harmonies and identical outfits and hairstyles, won six gold records for hits, including 1954’s “Sincerely” and 1957’s “Sugartime”.
The group performed for five presidents and Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. They were inducted into the National Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001.
The Las Vegas Sun reports Phyllis McGuire has died in her mansion she called “the Beverly Hills of Las Vegas” in the Rancho Circle estate near downtown Las Vegas. The 2,415-square-foot (2,415-square-meter) house contains a 45-foot (14-meter) version of the Eiffel Tower.
The sisters began singing together as children in their Ohio church and then performed at weddings and church revivals.
They became popular during World War II and got their show business break in 1952 with an appearance in the “Kate Smith Show”. Qu They stopped performing as a trio, but returned to the stage in 1985.
The three last performed together in the mid-2000s and were featured in a 2004 PBS show called “Magic Moments – Best of 50s Pop.”
“They were amazing. They brought the country together by singing wonderful songs, “Lovee Arum, one of McGuire’s longtime friends, told the Sun. “Phyllis McGuire was beautiful, talented and was part of the allure in Las Vegas.”
Phyllis Jean McGuire was born on February 14, 1931 in Middletown, Ohio. Dorothy McGuire Williamson passed away in 2012. Christine McGuire passed away in 2018.
Phyllis McGuire married announcer Neal Van Ells in 1952. They were divorced in 1956.
She was also known for her relationship with gang member Sam Giancana from the 1960s. Mary Louise-Parker plays the role of Phyllis McGuire in the 1995 HBO film “Sugartime”, which portrays Giancana’s love affair with her.