The Dinning Sisters

The Dinning Sisters were an American sisters singing group, active from 1941 to 1955.

The Dinning Sisters

The trio consisted of Ella Lucille "Lou" Dinning (September 29, 1920 – April 28, 2000),[1][2] Jean Dinning (March 29, 1924 – February 22, 2011) and Virginia "Ginger" Dinning (March 29, 1924 – October 14, 2013).[3] Jean and Ginger were twins.

Lucille left the group in 1946 to be replaced by Jayne Bundesen who stayed until 1952. Lucille was married to composer and pop artist Don Robertson. She made several recordings for Capitol Records as Lou Dinning including duets with her husband Don.[4]

Early years

The sisters were born in Caldwell, Kansas, United States, and raised in Oklahoma.[5] From a family of nine children, all of whom sang harmony in church, the three sisters won amateur singing contests.[4]

Radio

In 1939, the Dinnings had a program on WENR in Chicago, Illinois.[6] They first gained national exposure on the NBC Radio show "Barn Dance".[5]

Recording

In 1943, the group was signed by Capitol Records to be that label's answer to The Andrews Sisters,[5] who recorded exclusively for Decca Records. Lucille (Lou) Dinning once said, "Let's face it, the Andrews Sisters were way ahead of us. We tried our darndest to be as commercial as they were, but weren't flashy enough. We were all kind of shy. We came from a farm in Oklahoma. We never took dancing lessons or anything."[7] The Dinnings sounded rather like The Andrews Sisters in fast-paced recordings such as the boogie-woogie influenced "Pig Foot Pete," as well as "Down in the Diving Bell," "The Hawaiian War Chant," and "They Just Chopped Down the Old Apple Tree,"[8] an "answer" song to "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else but Me)". The Dinning sound could also be compared, especially in slower ballads, to the soft blend of The Lennon Sisters, who appeared in the 1950s on The Lawrence Welk Show.[7]

The Dinning Sisters charted four hits during the 1940s, including two top 10 successes. The group received further exposure from their appearances in the films, That Texas Jamboree (1946)[9] and Throw a Saddle on a Star (1946).[5][10]

Later careers

Lou Dinning recorded several sides as a solo artist for Capitol.[11] Jean Dinning co-composed the song, "Teen Angel", which became a No. 1 hit for her brother, Mark Dinning.

Ginger Dinning (latterly Virginia Lutke) died on October 14, 2013, aged 89.[12]

Hit singles
Year Single US Chart position Label Catalog Ref.
1947 "My Adobe Hacienda" 9[13] Capitol 389[13]
"I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" 12[13] Capitol 433[14]
1948 "Beg Your Pardon" 12[13] Capitol 490[14]
"Buttons and Bows" 5[13] Capitol 15184[15]

Sibling

Another sister, Marvin Dinning (née Marvis Geraldine Dinning; 1918–2000) (died as Marvin Smith), was a vocalist with Wally Stoefler (né Wallace Udell Stoeffler; 1906–1979) and His Orchestra from the late 1930s through the early 1950s.[16] She had married Harry Smith (né Harry Franklin Smith) — a featured trumpeter with the Stoefler Orchestra — on January 3, 1942, in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

References
  1. "Lucille "Lou" Dinning". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  2. "Ella Lucille "Lou" Dinning Robertson (1920 - 2000) - Find A Grave Photos". Findagrave.com. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  3. Doc Rock. "July to December". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  4. Zac Johnson. "The Dinning Sisters | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  5. Vera, Billy (2000). From the Vaults Vol. 4: Love Letters (CD). Hollywood: Capitol Records. p. 4.
  6. "(radio listing)". Illinois, Dixon. Dixon Evening Telegraph. September 23, 1939. p. 11. Retrieved March 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Sforza, John: "Swing It! The Andrews Sisters Story;" University Press of Kentucky, 2000; 289 pages
  8. "They Just Chopped Down the Old Apple Tree - The Dinning Sisters | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. 2001-10-09. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  9. "That Texas Jamboree". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  10. "Throw a Saddle on a Star". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  11. Tyrone Settlemier (2013-08-26). "The Online 78 rpm Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  12. Doc Rock. "July to December". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  13. Pop Memories 1890-1954. Joel Whitburn. 1986. Record Research Inc. p. 127. ISBN 0-89820-083-0
  14. Abrams, Steven and Settlemier, Tyrone Capitol 100 - 499, numerical listing discography Online Discographical Project. November 1, 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
  15. Abrams, Steven and Settlemier, Tyrone. Capitol15000.htm "Capitol 15000 series numerical listing discography". Online Discographical Project. November 1, 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2011
  16. "Dinning Songbird Here," by Doris Greenbank, Hutchinson News, July 8, 1951, pg. 9 (retrieved May 27, 2016, via www.newspapers.com/image/3762027)
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