The Chordettes

April 17, 2026 - 104 views

Genre	50s, oldies, female vocalists, pop, doo wop

The Chordettes were an American female vocal quartet specializing in traditional pop music. They are best known for their 1950s hit singles "Mr. Sandman" and "Lollipop", both of which sold more than one million copies.

The group was formed in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in 1946. The original members were Janet Ertel (née Buschmann), Alice Mae Buschmann Spielvogel, Dorothy "Dottie" Hummitzsch Schwartz, and Jinny Osborn (née Lockard). The quartet initially performed folk music in a style similar to the Weavers, but later adopted a close-harmony style associated with barbershop harmony. After performing locally, they won the talent competition on Arthur Godfrey’s radio program "Talent Scouts" in 1949. They subsequently became regular performers on Godfrey’s daily program and recorded their first LP, "Harmony Time", for Columbia Records in 1950, followed by several additional albums.

In 1953, Archie Bleyer, music director for Arthur Godfrey, founded Cadence Records and signed the Chordettes. Beginning in January 1954, the group appeared on "The Robert Q. Lewis Show", a weekday afternoon television program on CBS. Although they had previously recorded singles with Arthur Godfrey, their breakthrough came with the release of "Mr. Sandman" in late 1954. The song reached number one in 1955 and remained there for seven weeks, selling more than one million copies. The group later achieved another major hit with "Lollipop", which reached number two in 1958. Other charting singles included "Born to Be With You", "Just Between You and Me", "Lay Down Your Arms", and "Eddie My Love". They also recorded a vocal version of the theme from the television series "Zorro" and a song from the film "Never on Sunday".

The Chordettes appeared on the first nationally broadcast episode of "American Bandstand" on August 5, 1957, and returned to the program several times in the following year. Membership in the group changed over time, with later members including Carol Buschmann, Lynn Evans, Margie Needham, and Nancy Overton. Jinny Osborn left the group in 1961, and after difficulties in finding a replacement, the group disbanded in the mid-1960s.

The Chordettes were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001. Over time, the members of the group died, with Marjorie "Margie" Needham Latzko, the last surviving member, dying on August 22, 2025, at the age of 96.

Original members
Janet Ertel (1946–1963)
Alice Mae Buschmann Spielvogel (1946–1947)
Dorothy "Dottie" Hummitzsch Schwartz (1946–1952)
Jinny Osborn (1946–1953, 1957–1961)

Additional members
Carol Buschmann (1947–1963)
Lynn Evans (1953–1963)
Margie Needham (1953–1957)
Nancy Overton (1957–1963)

Studio albums
Harmony Time (1950)
Harmony Time, Volume II (1951)
Harmony Encores (1952)
The Chordettes Sing Your Requests (1953)
The Chordettes (1955)
Listen (1955)
Close Harmony (1955)
The Chordettes (1957)
Drifting and Dreaming (1959)
Never on Sunday (1962)