‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ always entertained with popular singers and dancers. America knew they were in for a treat every time they tuned in, and this video proves it.
The Barry Sisters graced the stage in 1960 dressed in matching dresses, complete with matching canes for their dance routine. While these women are dressed like dancers, they really belted out the famous song ‘Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home.’
Accompanied by a big band, the sisters sang in tight harmony with huge smiles on their faces. At the mid-point of the song, a key change occurs, and the girls start doing choreography with their canes.
The sisters look like twins, but they were actually born three years apart. Merna and Claire Barry were known for performing jazz standards and also singing in Yiddish! They would sing popular jazz songs of the 40s in Yiddish under the name ‘The Bagelman Sisters.’
The Barry Sisters became famous for their singing and appeared on ‘The Tonight Show’ with Johnny Carson. In 1959, they were one of the few groups to tour the Soviet Union.
The most exciting part about this video is that Ed Sullivan himself comes on stage after the girls finish and asks for an encore! The sisters ask the band to pick up a ‘few bars before K’ in the musical score.
Then, they hit it again! The audience loves it, and the sisters are really pouring out their all during their encore. This classic clip features upbeat jazz, extraordinary vocals, and perfectly captures the era!
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