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LAS VEGAS (AP) – Phyllis McGuire, the last surviving member of the three McGuire Sisters singers who topped the charts with several hits in the 1950s, has passed away. She was 89 years old.
The lead singer and younger sister of Dorothy and Christine McGuire died Tuesday in Las Vegas, the Palm Eastern Mortuary and Cemetery confirmed Thursday. A cause of death was not provided.
Known for their soft harmonies and identical outfits and hairstyles, the McGuire Sisters won six gold records for successes, including “Sincerely” from 1954 and “Sugartime” from 1957.
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.
Las Vegas sun reported that Phyllis McGuire died in her mansion she called “the Beverly Hills of Las Vegas” in the Rancho Circle estates near downtown Las Vegas. The 26,000-square-foot (2,415-square-meter) home includes a 45-foot (14-meter) version of the Eiffel Tower.
The sisters began singing together as children at their mother’s church in Ohio, then performed at weddings and church revivals.
They became popular during WWII and got their break from show business in 1952 with an appearance on the ‘Kate Smith Show’. They stopped performing as a trio but returned to the stage as a trio in 1985.
The latter three performed together in the mid-2000s and were featured on a 2004 PBS show called “Magic Moments – Best of 50s Pop.”
“They were awesome. They brought the country together singing wonderful songs,” Lovee Arum, one of McGuire’s longtime friends, told The Sun. “Phyllis McGuire was beautiful, talented and part of the appeal. of Las Vegas. “
Phyllis Jean McGuire was born in Middletown, Ohio on February 14, 1931. Dorothy McGuire Williamson died in 2012. Christine McGuire died in 2018.
Phyllis McGuire married broadcaster Neal Van Ells in 1952. They divorced in 1956.
She was also known for her relationship with 1960s gangster Sam Giancana. Mary Louise-Parker played the role of Phyllis McGuire in the 1995 HBO movie “Sugartime,” which portrayed Giancana’s love affair with her.
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