The Chenille Sisters

The Chenille Sisters' quirky appeal truly reached across all ages -- while their irreverent country-folk sound was originally targeted to adults, they also recorded a number of albums specifically for children. Formed in 1985 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Chenille Sisters comprised Cheryl Dawdy, Connie Huber and Grace Morand, none of them actually siblings; after becoming a local cult favorite on their strength of their lovely harmonies, in 1986 they independently released their self-titled debut LP. Recorded live in Ann Arbor, At Home with the Chenille Sisters followed in 1989; a year later, they abruptly shifted their demographic focus, issuing 1, 2, 3 for Kids. With 1991's Mamma I Wanna Make Rhythm, the trio returned to more mature songcraft; future releases continued to alternate between music for grown-ups and children, with 1992's The Big Picture and Other Songs for Kids followed that same year by Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight, a collection of popular songs from the pre-World War II era. The founders of their own label, Cantoo, in 1995 the Chenilles starred in an Emmy-winning PBS special titled Makin' Rhythm; it led to Read to Me, a children's book review series they hosted for public radio. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide