Del Rio Sisters

Although they have yet to do a cameo on a commercial for wireless phone service, the Del Rio Sisters have been compared to Charo in terms of Afro-Cuban music that has been watered down like a glass of whiskey purchased for a "hostess" at a bar in Las Vegas. Another name that comes up for comparative purposes is comedian and bandleader Desi Arnaz, but from what little is known about the vocal group it seems like the Del Rio Sisters really had about as much true Latin content as Arnaz's wife, Lucille Ball. The group's name was the most Latin-sounding thing about it, and even that was phony. Nobody in the group was named Del Rio. Grace Givens and Gloria Givens may have actually been sisters, although they could also have been cousins. The other members of the group, Georgia Lee Holston and Shirley Kee, were not related at all. The latter member's last name positively begs for a pun about singing in tune. In fact, it might be suggested that a typical performance with this group might begin with someone Givens the Kee. Accounts of at least one of the group's recording sessions indicate this might not be a subject worth joking about, at least in front of the producer. In this case that was Joe Davis, who put the Del Rio Sisters in the studio in 1953 for a session that was scrapped after two songs. The gals' versions of "Fine as Wine" and "Why Should I Cry Over You" were never released at the time, although the later demand for tracks to fill various oldies compilations resulted in less demanding production criteria. Broadcasts of vintage '50s material of an anthropological nature have become the main opportunity to hear the Del Rio Sisters' recordings. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide