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THE BOSWELL SISTERS
are three-quarters French
THERE is something about that dis¬ tinctive Boswell rhythm that gets under the skin. Connie, Vet, and Martha, harmony makers de luxe, un¬ doubtedly mean it that way — but there was a day when they were the most sedate trio of young ladies in their native parish of New Orleans.
It was six years ago that papa Bos¬ well decided he needed a trip to Florida for his health. He looked fondly at his three girls, each just a year from the other in age, and admonished them to practice hard while he was gone. He gloried in his girls’ talents.
At his departure, a change came over the Boswell household. Strange instru¬ ments appeared from unexpected places.
They started to play “St. Louis Blues.” Now and then they stopped to construct a weird minor — and went on. The walls of the old French house rang with unaccustomed rhythms.
That was the beginning of the famous Boswell rhythm. Today it is known from coast to coast.
They began their musical education when they were hardly out of the cradle. Cooperation has been their fetish since they began to play together as babies. Once, the art school which they attended had a Christmas poster contest. The girls were smart enough to know that none of them was a good enough artist to win the grand prize. So they did a co-op job. Connie conceived the idea," Vet did the drawing, and Martha con¬ tributed the lettering and borders. The poster brought home the bacon.
“Hot” rhythms were a natural out¬ growth of their listening to the negro plantation singers around New Orleans. They developed their own style while singing for their own school entertain¬ ments.
Their first professional appearances were in vaudeville houses around New Orleans. Stage contacts gave them an opportunity and in no time at all they were radio favorites. In 1928 they de¬ cided to attempt a greater success. Chi¬ cago was their goal. A six weeks’ en¬ gagement was contracted for. And six weeks were enough to establish them as creators of an entirely new type of singing. Now they’re on a coast to coast hook-up and the outstanding female harmony team.
Their likes are unusually similar.
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