Farewell Joy Beverley (1924-2015)

I've been taken to task for not mentioning the passing of Joy Beverley - late of the Beverley Sisters. I argued that the widow of England footballer Billy Wright was hardly jazz. My complainant countered with - "Neither was Cilla Black!"

"But Cilla was...", I began.

"Have you got any of Cilla's albums?"

I admitted I hadn't.

"Have you got any by the Bevs?"

I blushed and confessed that I had, quickly adding that I didn't have any by Des O'Connor.

The lady rested her case.

Defeated, I fished out the MFP album Enchanting Beverley Sisters and stuck it on the player.

Okay, they weren't the Boswells or the Andrews but, listening to them singing standards such as Once in a While; A Cottage For Sale; The Nearness of You and others, made me realise there was more to them than Little Drummer Boy (or was it Little Donkey?).

The harmonies are simple but spot on and, in their formative years, impressed Glenn Miller and later worked with Eric Winstone and other big bands of the 40s/50s.

Television gave the girls their biggest break and, eventually, they hit the Guinness Book of Records as the longest running, unchanged, vocal group.

The twins, Teddie and Babs (now 88) are still alive. Joy died on August 31 aged 91.

RIP Joy. You and the twins left your mark on the UK popular music of the time.

Lance.

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