From Deseret News archives:
Best pals — Lennon Sisters re-create rag dolls for a new generation
They immediately captured the hearts of America, and for the next 13 years they appeared on Welk's show almost every Saturday night. Then they went on to their own show, "Jimmy Durante Presents the Lennon Sisters Hour." They also became staples on the "Andy Williams Show." They recorded albums, and they toured the country.
America watched as they grew from teenagers to young women to sophisticated ladies who never seemed to let fame and fortune go to their heads.
For the sisters, it was always all about family, says Kathy, who with sisters Janet and Mimi continues to perform regularly at the Welk Champagne Theatre in Branson, Mo.
"Mom and Dad kept our house normal," she said in a telephone chat from her home in Missouri. "It was just a job. We'd go do the show, and then we'd come home and there were diapers to change and dishes to do and homework. We went to a regular school, with the same kids we grew up with."
With nine children in the family, they often had to baby-sit younger siblings and help around the house. "We never looked at ourselves as being stars," added Janet.
Looking back at their 50-year career, however, they realize how remarkable it has been. "We were incredibly blessed to have been working at a time when we got to work with so many great people," said Kathy.
They performed regularly with the likes of Jack Benny, Bob Hope, George Burns, Bing Crosby and Sammy Davis Jr. "To be educated by them was incredible," added Janet. "We have also sung for seven presidents and been to the White House several times. Looking back, it was such a full, full life. But it never took away from our normal existence."
Growing up, Kathy and Janet were always especially close. They were the youngest of the singing group, but even earlier, "we were inseparable," said Kathy. "From playing cowboys to dress-up, we did everything together. Our favorite thing was playing with rag dolls that had been made for us by our mother and grandmother, when Janet was 3 and I was 6. They were so precious to us. Later, we took them on the road with us so we could always have a little bit of home with us. We were best pals, and the dolls were our best pals."
