Nancy Overton
Encyclopedia
Nancy Swain Overton was an American
singer.
Overton first formed a singing group with her sister Jean Swain
and two college friends, Bix Brent
and Pauli Skindlov in 1946. The group toured with orchestra leader Tommy Tucker for 6 months, was known as Tommy Tucker's Two Timers, and recorded the song "Maybe You'll Be There" with bandleader Tommy and his lead singer Don Brown. Pauli left the group and was replaced by Ellie Decker, who had previously sung with The Meltones (Mel Tormé
's quartet). The band also then sang with singer and band leader Ray Heatherton
from whom they acquired the bands' next moniker The Heathertones
. After Decker left the group to get married, she was replaced as lead singer by Marianne McCormick. The Heathertones disbanded in 1953.
Overton, who married jazz pianist/composer/arranger Hall Overton
, sang "Nobody's Heart" as a solo vocalist with the Teddy Charles
Quartet in 1954. In 1957, Janet Ertel of The Chordettes
, though still recording with the group, elected not to continue touring. Ertel was married to Archie Bleyer
, the owner of Cadence Records
, the group's label. Nancy Overton was invited to appear with The Chordettes for live appearances and did so until the group broke up in the early 1960s. She didn't record with The Chordettes on their label, Cadence Records; however she did appear on some "Stars For Defense" programs.
She moved to Englewood
, New Jersey
, in the 1960s, at the recommendation of Dizzy Gillespie
. After her husband Hall Overton died in 1972, she retired from show business and worked for Prentice-Hall Publishers
as an editorial assistant.
In the early 1990s, The Chordettes regrouped with Overton, Doris Alberti, and original members Lynn Evans and Jean Swain, doing shows ranging from a doo wop concert to touring with Eddy Arnold
. A live cassette of a concert in Branson
, Missouri
, was recorded.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer.
Overton first formed a singing group with her sister Jean Swain
Jean Swain
Jean Adair Swain was born in New York City and grew up in Port Washington, Long Island, where she graduated from high school at age 16. Her musical talents included playing the cello in orchestras and chamber music groups, arranging, composing and teaching...
and two college friends, Bix Brent
Bix Brent
Bix Brent was a founding member of The Heathertones who sang on many recordings in the early 1950s...
and Pauli Skindlov in 1946. The group toured with orchestra leader Tommy Tucker for 6 months, was known as Tommy Tucker's Two Timers, and recorded the song "Maybe You'll Be There" with bandleader Tommy and his lead singer Don Brown. Pauli left the group and was replaced by Ellie Decker, who had previously sung with The Meltones (Mel Tormé
Mel Tormé
Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
's quartet). The band also then sang with singer and band leader Ray Heatherton
Ray Heatherton
Ray Heatherton was an American singer, Broadway musical theatre performer, and a popular New York television personality in the early days of the medium.-Early career:...
from whom they acquired the bands' next moniker The Heathertones
The Heathertones
The Heathertones vocal quartet took form in 1946 with members Nancy Swain Overton, her sister Jean Swain, Bix Brent and Pauli Skindlov. Jean and Bix were both graduates of Smith College, while Nancy and Pauli had completed their studies at Juilliard...
. After Decker left the group to get married, she was replaced as lead singer by Marianne McCormick. The Heathertones disbanded in 1953.
Overton, who married jazz pianist/composer/arranger Hall Overton
Hall Overton
Hall Franklin Overton was an American composer, jazz pianist, and music teacher. He was born in Bangor, Michigan...
, sang "Nobody's Heart" as a solo vocalist with the Teddy Charles
Teddy Charles
Teddy Charles is an American jazz pianist, drummer and vibraphone musician. Born Theodore Charles Cohen in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, he began his musical career studying at Juilliard School of Music as a percussionist...
Quartet in 1954. In 1957, Janet Ertel of The Chordettes
The Chordettes
The Chordettes were a female popular singing quartet, usually singing a cappella, and specializing in traditional popular music. The Chordettes were one of the longest lived vocal groups with beginnings in the mainstream pop and vocal harmonies of the 1940s and early 1950s...
, though still recording with the group, elected not to continue touring. Ertel was married to Archie Bleyer
Archie Bleyer
Archie Bleyer was an American song arranger, bandleader, and record company executive.-Early life:He was born in the Corona section of the New York City borough of Queens. He began playing the piano when he was only seven years old...
, the owner of Cadence Records
Cadence Records
Cadence Records was an American record company based in New York City. It was founded by Archie Bleyer, who had been the musical director and orchestra leader for Arthur Godfrey in 1952...
, the group's label. Nancy Overton was invited to appear with The Chordettes for live appearances and did so until the group broke up in the early 1960s. She didn't record with The Chordettes on their label, Cadence Records; however she did appear on some "Stars For Defense" programs.
She moved to Englewood
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, in the 1960s, at the recommendation of Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
. After her husband Hall Overton died in 1972, she retired from show business and worked for Prentice-Hall Publishers
Pearson PLC
Pearson plc is a global media and education company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is both the largest education company and the largest book publisher in the world, with consumer imprints including Penguin, Dorling Kindersley and Ladybird...
as an editorial assistant.
In the early 1990s, The Chordettes regrouped with Overton, Doris Alberti, and original members Lynn Evans and Jean Swain, doing shows ranging from a doo wop concert to touring with Eddy Arnold
Eddy Arnold
Richard Edward Arnold , known professionally as Eddy Arnold, was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a so-called Nashville sound innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the Billboard country music charts, second only to George Jones. He sold more...
. A live cassette of a concert in Branson
Branson, Missouri
Branson is a city in Taney County in the U.S. state of Missouri. It was named after Reuben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s....
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, was recorded.
Death
She died on April 5, 2009, in Blairstown, New Jersey, aged 83, from esophageal cancerEsophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
.