Maxene Andrews, part of the Andrews Sisters trio whose "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and other hits gave a syncopated, jitterbugging soundtrack to the World War II era, has died of a heart attack. She was 79.
Ms. Andrews, of Auburn, Calif., died early Saturday at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Mass., after suffering a heart attack while on vacation. She had bypass surgery in 1982.Her sister Laverne died in 1967. Sister Patty is the lone survivor of one of the most successful singing groups ever, with 19 gold records and sales of nearly 100 million recordings.
From their rolled hairdos and slim suits to their perfectly blended voices, the Andrews Sisters offered a vision of American innocence treasured on the home front and by servicemen abroad during the war years.
"I think it was our time," she said in one of her last interviews, given Sept. 15 to The Associated Press. "I think when your time is due, if you're not prepared, you're going to miss it and if you are prepared, it is going to happen."
Their memorable harmonies included "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree," "Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar," "Winter Wonderland" and "Rum and Coca Cola."
Her last performance was Oct. 8, in the off-Broadway show "Swing Time Canteen." She had planned to return to the show in December, The New York Times reported.
"I thought about retiring, but I don't know how to spell it any more," she told the AP.
"Mackie was the best friend anyone could have," said a longtime friend, actress June Allyson, referring to Ms. Andrews by her nickname. "But she's not gone. She's right here in my heart."
Maxene Andrews stirred memories earlier this year when she sang "America the Beautiful" to thousands of veterans who gathered in Honolulu to mark the 50th anniversary of V-J Day.
At the height of their popularity in the 1940s, the Andrews Sisters appeared in 16 films, including "Buck Privates" and "In the Navy," with Abbott & Costello, "Hollywood Canteen," with a host of stars, and "Road to Rio," with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. They also had their own radio show, "Eight-to-the-Bar Ranch."