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The Kim Sisters
Korean-born American singing trio From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Kim Sisters (Korean: 김시스터즈) were a female vocal group from South Korea who made their career in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. Formed in 1953, they are known for being the first Korean music group to achieve success in the U.S. market during the 1960s, and for performing more than 20 times on The Ed Sullivan Show. The trio consisted of Sook-ja "Sue", Ai-ja "Aija", and Min-ja "Mia" Kim.[1][2]
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Early lives
Sue (Korean: 김숙자; RR: Gim Sukja; MR: Kim Sukcha) and Aija (Korean: 김애자; RR: Gim Aeja; MR: Kim Aecha) were born in Seoul. They were the daughters of Kim Hae-song, a popular conductor, and Lee Nan-young, one of Korea's most famous singers before the Korean War, best known for her song, "Tears of Mokpo." The elder Kim died in 1950 during the Korean War.[3]
Mia (Korean: 김민자; RR: Gim Minja; MR: Kim Mincha) was Sue and Aija's biological cousin whose father was Lee Bong-ryong, a musician and Lee Nan-young's elder brother; she was later adopted by Lee Nan-young.[4]
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Career
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Beginnings
The Kim Sisters were formed in 1953.[5] Following her husband's execution by North Korean forces during the Korean War, Lee Nan-young had her adopted niece Mia and her biological daughters Sue and Aija form a singing group to support the family.[3] Lee bought American records on the black market so that the girls could learn songs like Hoagy Carmichael's "Ole Buttermilk Sky," which they performed in bars and nightclubs for American soldiers stationed in South Korea during the Korean War.[6]
The Kim Sisters were popular among the American troops, who spread the word about the group to American entertainment producer Tom Ball, drafting a letter with 30 GI signatures. He flew to South Korea in 1958 to hear the group perform, and The Kim Sisters signed a contract with Ball soon after. However, it took them nearly a year to acquire visas to go to the United States.[6]
Fame in the United States
In 1959, The Kim Sisters arrived in Las Vegas to perform in Ball's "China Doll Revue" at the Thunderbird Hotel.[3] After they fulfilled their contract at the Thunderbird, The Kim Sisters began performing at the Stardust Hotel. It was during this time that they were first invited to perform on The Ed Sullivan Show, the GI's original goal. It was also at this first performance they met Louis Armstrong.[7] They ultimately performed on the show an additional 21 times.[8] They made a guest appearance on the Dean Jones Ensign O'Toole sitcom, "Operation Benefit" October 14, 1962. The Kim Sisters frequently performed wearing Korean hanbok and singing popular American songs.[3]
In 1962, their cover of The Coasters song "Charlie Brown" reached #7 on the Billboard singles chart, making The Kim Sisters the first commercially successful Korean artists in the United States.[9] The group retired in 1975 after more than 20 years of performing.[10][11]
Aija died of lung cancer in 1987.[2][6] Mia lives in Hungary with her husband, musician Tommy Vig, and also has produced records with him.[citation needed]
On March 27, 2014, Sue Kim became the first Korean American to be inducted into the Nevada Entertainer/Artist Hall of Fame.[12]
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Discography
Studio albums
U.S. singles
See also
References
Further reading
External links
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