The Fontane Sisters facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Fontane Sisters
The Fontane Sisters Geri (left), Marge (center), Bea (right)
Background information
Born	Geri: (1921-10-15)October 15, 1921 Bea: (1915-12-12)December 12, 1915 Marge: (1917-10-19)October 19, 1917
Origin	New Milford, New Jersey, United States
Died	Geri: September 13, 1993(1993-09-13) (aged 71) Bea: March 25, 2002(2002-03-25) (aged 86) Marge: March 12, 2003(2003-03-12) (aged 85)
Years active	1941–1961
Associated acts	The Ross Trio
Past members	Bea Rosse (December 12, 1915–March 25, 2002) Marge Rosse (October 19, 1917–December 3, 2003) Geri Rosse (October 15, 1921–September 13, 1993) Frank Rosse (1914–1945)

The Fontane Sisters were a famous singing group. It was a trio of three sisters: Bea, Geri, and Marge Rosse. They came from New Milford, New Jersey, in the United States. They were known for their beautiful harmonies and popular songs.

Early Musical Beginnings

The sisters grew up in an Italian family. Their mother, Louise Rosse, was a talented singer. She was a soloist and led the choir at St. Joseph's Church in New Milford.

Bea and Marge started singing together at local events. They were so good that people encouraged them to try out in New York City. At first, they performed with their brother Frank. He played the guitar. Their group was called the Ross Trio. They auditioned for NBC and soon went to work in Cleveland.

In 1944, they returned to New York. Sadly, Frank was called to join the Army. He went to France and was hurt during the war. Geri, the youngest sister, had just finished school. She took her brother's place in the group. This made them an all-girl trio.

The sisters first performed as The Three Sisters. In 1944, sheet music for two of their songs was published. These songs were "I'm Gonna See My Baby" and "Pretty Kitty Blue Eyes".

Rising to Stardom

The all-female group chose a new name: The Fontane Sisters. They picked "Fontaine" from a French-Canadian great-grandmother. They released two songs with Musicraft Records in 1946.

Later, they worked on non-sponsored shows for NBC. There, they met and worked with Perry Como. He was a very popular singer. The sisters heard that Perry Como's show, "Supper Club," was changing its cast. They really wanted to join his show. This also meant they would be closer to home.

Starting in the summer of 1948, they became a regular part of his radio and TV show. It was first called The Chesterfield Supper Club. Later, from 1950 to 1954, it was known as The Perry Como Show. The trio also appeared on Chesterfield Sound Off Time.

In 1949, they signed with RCA Victor. They also changed their name slightly, dropping the "I" from "Fontaine." They recorded many songs over the next few years. Sometimes, they sang backup for Perry Como. Their early songs were in a calm, slow pop style. In 1951, they had a small hit with "The Tennessee Waltz". Other artists like Patti Page also had big hits with this song.

In 1954, they moved to Randy Wood's Dot Records. Here, they changed their style. They started singing faster songs. These songs were aimed at the growing teen and rock-and-roll audience. They had 18 songs that made it onto the Billboard pop charts. Ten of these songs reached the Top 40.

Their song "Hearts of Stone" was released in late 1954. It became their biggest hit ever. It sold over one million copies! This earned them a gold disc.

Life After Music

The Fontane Sisters released their last big hit, Chanson D'Amour, in 1958. It reached #12 on the charts. They stopped performing around 1961. This was when Geri, the youngest sister, was expecting her daughter. Geri's daughter was named Geri, too. As an adult, she was known as Geri Fontane Latchford. Bea and Marge did not have any children.

In the mid-1950s, rock and roll music became very popular. Many older performers found it hard to keep up. The sisters were also tired of touring. They were ready for a break from the music scene.

Geri married Al Latchford, who was a history professor. Marge married Franklin Hobbs. He became a well-known radio personality in Minneapolis-St. Paul. They had met when the sisters were working in Chicago for NBC. Marge later remarried an advertising executive and moved to Florida. Bea married E. Holmes Douglass in 1964.

In 1963, Dot Records released one last album by The Fontane Sisters. It was called Tips of my Fingers. They also released a single with the same name. These recordings did not mean the trio was returning to performing. They stayed retired.

Later Years and Legacy

For the next 40 years, The Fontane Sisters mostly stayed out of the public eye. In 2001, RCA Victor released a collection of their songs with Perry Como. It was called "Perry Como With The Fontane Sisters." This album included many songs from their radio and TV shows.

In 2004, an article in the New York Daily News shared some news. It said that Geri Fontane Latchford had received royalties for her mother and two aunts. The article also shared that all three Fontane Sisters had passed away. Geri died on September 13, 1993. Bea died on March 25, 2002. Marge died on December 3, 2003.

The Fontane Sisters left behind a legacy of beautiful music. They were an important part of the music scene in the 1940s and 1950s.

Top Hit Songs

See also

In Spanish: The Fontane Sisters para niños