Best Pals video on YouTube

Just noticed that gsbahler has posted a video/commercial for Kathy and Janet's Best Pals dolls. If I'm not mistaken this is Janet's step-son, Greg. And damn if he didn't post a very effective marketing tool. I had not intended to buy the cds that come with the dolls. I mean, I don't have kids, and I assumed the product was for kids only.

Wrong!

Seriously, I got chills listening to their harmony on the video. Hauntingly beautiful. So I'll be making an unexpected purchase.

Savvy marketing, Kathy and Janet. Bravo!

Best Pals - San Bernardino County Sun article

Kathy and Janet are getting more and more press about their Best Pals line, with this Feb. 20, 2007 interview with San Bernardino County Sun. Click the link or continue on for the article.

Familiar faces
Lennon Sisters create rag dolls modeled after theirs from childhood
By Diana Sholley, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 02/20/2007 12:00:00 AM PST

Every time Kathy and Janet Lennon go on tour, there are stowaways in their bags - lifelong friends they would never think of leaving behind.

It's their rag dolls, made with love by their mom and grandmother more than 50 years ago, when Kathy was 6 and Janet was 3.

The dolls represented a little piece of home when the girls - part of the famous singing sensation, The Lennon Sisters - were on tour.

Though now adults, with children and grandchildren of their own, when they hold those well-worn dolls with the painted-on faces and yarn hair, they are transported to another era. It's a time of innocence, where imagination was queen and children her subjects.

Janet and Kathy, who grew up being each other's best pals, wanted to bring the magic of their childhood to the children of today.

In August, the sisters introduced Best Pals, a line of rag dolls and music CDs, named after the relationship the girls had as children. The dolls are exact replicas of the dolls they still cherish.

"We remember all the love Mom and Nana put into making those dolls," said Kathy. "We'd spend hours playing with them. They were comfort on the airplane...the dolls are a tribute (to them). They meant more
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than any store-bought dolls."

The sisters - Dee Dee (Diane), Peggy, Kathy and Janet - debuted in 1955 on the Christmas Special of The Lawrence Welk Show, where they would perform for 13 years and be dubbed America's Sweethearts of Song.

The Lennon Sisters now live in Branson, Mo., and perform often at The Welk Resort Theater there. When Peggy retired in 1999, younger sister Mimi, an accomplished singer and comedian, took her place. Dee Dee retired in 2000 and since then, The Lennon Sisters has been a trio with Kathy, Janet and Mimi. They will be appearing at Citrus Community College in Glendora on April 1.

In creating the dolls, it was important to the sisters that they be authentic. They paid close attention to each detail. The dolls are 16 inches tall and the materials used for their dresses are exact duplicates of the originals. Like the originals, these new versions of the rag dolls have embroidered faces and yarn hair that can be styled - brown to represent Kathy, blond for Janet.

New features include an elastic beaded bracelet on each doll that reads "Best Pals." Also, first edition "Best Pals" are individually numbered for collectability. Both sisters have doll collections.

"We've had so many people say to us with a big ol' smile, `Oh, my grandmother made me one when I was a girl,"' Janet said. "It's a reaction of nostalgia. The dolls bring back a simple time in history, and tradition. It's so important for us to try to duplicate that feeling and for others."

Also bringing back those old feelings are two CDs of childhood favorites the sisters have recorded to go along with the "Best Pals" line.

"Best Pals" has 14 songs and includes a booklet insert with pictures and lyrics. "Best Pals Celebrate Christmas" is a 13-song collection of the sisters' holiday favorites.

"They are some of our favorite songs that we sang to our dolls," Janet said.

Kathy and Janet hope their children's products give today's kids a chance to be children a little while longer.

"Little girls have a basic instinct to nurture," Kathy said. "They like to use their imagination. We look at some of the trendy dolls and ask `Would I want my daughter playing with that?' Our dolls give kids another option."

"Best Pals" will soon be introducing ethnic rag dolls in several nationalities, including African American, East Indian and Hispanic.

"Our dolls duplicated in another nationality," said Janet. "Our dream is to bring the joy and magic that these dolls gave us to children everywhere."

Diana Sholley can be reached at features@sbsun.com with 0"Diana Sholley" in the subject field or (909) 483-9381.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

What: Best Pals rag dolls and children's CDs

Who: Created by two of the original Lennon Sisters, Kathy and Janet

Cost: $16.98 to $29.95

Information: www.bestpals.net

too cute to pass up

So, this isn't a Lennon Sisters post. Indulge me. I absolutely could not resist sharing this adorable video of some really cute kids singing Bobbie Gentry's Ode To Billie Joe.

Choreography too! It's the cutest thing ever!

my first YouTube video!

Yay, I finally figured out how to make a clip for YouTube. Wootamama!

Y'all know the first video I uploaded was a Lennon Sisters one. But of course. It's such a romantic beauty of a song, Chanson d'Amour. The girls look and sound fantabulous, and they've got that terrific trumpet man, Dick Cathcart, accompanying them. It's from an episode that aired in Oct. 1966 - the month and year I was born - how perfect is that?

Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day

What better way to celebrate this day dedicated to L*O*V*E than to take a look back at the start of the enduring romance of Dee Dee Lennon and Dick Gass. My goodness they were so young when they married but clearly knew exactly what was important, and have thrived in making a truly happy home life for themselves and their family. Okay, the bit at the end about the apron strings is cringe-worthy. Otherwise though, it's a lovely insight into a wonderfully successful relationship. We should all be so blessed.

From TV Radio Mirror, Sept. 1960

official site gets a makeover

I saw in the news section of Angela's site A Lennon Sisters World, that The Lennon Sisters' Offical site LennonSisters.com has a brand spanking new design. It's gorgemous, y'all!

Their opening greeting is a very moving tribute to their fans. I was rather touched by their heartfelt words. I am so happy they have added great photos and audio clips, making it a fan's dream site.

Thanks girls!

Hi To You on YouTube

I just got back from a fantabulous trip to Las Vegas, and after having a near meltdown when my laptop had a most annoying malfunction, I was utterly delighted to see another great video from Welkfan71 on YouTube.

Awwww, this one is absolutely adorable y'all. I love how the girls were so poised yet very natural, and not remotely cloying. No wonder these talented cuties shot straight to stardom from their first appearance.

Big thanks to Welkfan71 for posting this gem.

Kathy gets engaged

The topic of Kathy's first marriage is something of a touchy subject as I found out on the Yahoo group. It's apparently not something the family wishes to have discussed, nor do they mention it in any official capacity, almost as though the marriage never occured.

It's kind of hard to ignore, given that the marriage took place during the hayday of the magazine coverage of The Lennon Sisters. So without further ado, here's a rather pleasant article about the newly engaged couple, Kathy Lennon and Mahlon Clark from TV Radio Mirror May 1967. Peggy has some really nice things to say about her sister, and the importance of her place in the family. There are some great color photos in this issue. And may I just say that Dee Dee's husband was seriously handsome? Seriously.









And just because, here's one of my favorite pictures of Kathy, with Mahlon in 1969. Don't they look glamorous?

is it Valentine's yet?

I'm jumping the gun a bit on this one but I couldn't wait til the 14th for this romantic gem. The Lennon Sisters honor their parents on The Anniversary Song, then provide backup for dad Bill as he sings to his wife, Sis.

I don't recall hearing their dad sing before. I rather like his soothing voice. He seranades Sis as they dance on a very crowded dance floor. Some woman keeps bumping into Sis. First she smiles on, politely ignoring it. But after the umpteenth bump, she bites her lip and the smile fades. I about died laughing!

Many thanks to Welkfan71 for posting this 1957 clip on YouTube.